2 mistakes and 1 masterstroke by CSK in their IPL 2025 match vs MI ft. Ravindra Jadeja's 4th over

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) continued their excellent recent form against the Mumbai Indians (MI) on Sunday, March 23. The Men in Yellow secured a four-wicket win over their arch-rivals in Match 3 of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL).

For a packed crowd at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, it was delight on all fronts as the Super Kings put their first points on the board. However, it was far from a perfect display, and a couple of key moments going the other way could've overturned the result.

On that note, here are two mistakes and one masterstroke made by CSK in their IPL 2025 match against MI.

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#3 Mistake - CSK didn't bowl out Ravindra Jadeja

Pitches in Chennai had been flat over the last couple of IPL seasons, and the franchise showed an intent in fixing that this year. For their first home game, the Super Kings managed to ensure a slightly slow track that had help and grip for the spinners.

Despite that, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad didn't bowl out Ravindra Jadeja, who delivered three overs. The left-arm spinner wasn't brought on for his final over probably due to the presence of Mitchell Santner, but there was enough evidence to look past that basic matchup.

Nathan Ellis and Khaleel Ahmed, who bowled four of the last five overs, weren't able to keep runs in check in that phase.

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#2 Masterstroke - Ruturaj Gaikwad at No. 3 is the right move going forward

Gaikwad was fluent [Image: @IPL on X]

CSK chose to open with Rahul Tripathi and Rachin Ravindra, moving Ruturaj Gaikwad down to No. 3. It's a tactical move they made at times during IPL 2024, but they didn't persist with it. This time, things seem to be different.

Going forward, it's the perfect decision for the Super Kings. Gaikwad won't be exposed to new-ball swing and can instead focus on hitting hard lengths and spin, which are two of his biggest strengths. The Chennai skipper made the most of the powerplay against MI, ensuring that the advantages of the field restrictions weren't lost despite an early wicket.

It was a welcome masterstroke to see the CSK think tank pick Rachin and play Gaikwad at No. 3, two decisions that they weren't expected to make.

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#1 Mistake - The CSK batters played questionable shots in a tricky situation

After Gaikwad was dismissed, the CSK batters needed to exercise some caution and steady the ship. Vignesh Puthur was the only MI bowler who seemed like he had an X-factor about him, but the Chennai middle order decided to take him on.

Shivam Dube was caught at long-on, while Deepak Hooda found deep square leg after top-edging a sweep. Sam Curran slogged one off Will Jacks, only to miss it completely. By the time Jadeja came to the crease, the Men in Yellow had shot themselves in the foot and allowed their opponents a way back into the contest.

Rachin ensured that CSK got over the line, but the carelessness of the other batters could've cost the team dearly on another night.