3 reasons why Rachin Ravindra could be CSK's most important player in IPL 2025

CSK opener Rachin Ravindra played a vital knock in their win over Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025 on Sunday, March 23. The left-hander remained unbeaten and finished the run chase, helping his team begin their season on a winning note.

Batting first, Mumbai Indians managed to score 155/9 from their 20 overs. Chasing 156, things got a little tight for CSK but they eventually managed to get over the line with four wickets and five deliveries to spare.

Rachin Ravindra remained unbeaten on 65 off 45 balls, hitting two fours and four sixes at a strike-rate of 144.44. The New Zealand batter ensured to stay till the end and anchor the chase, hitting the winning six in the end.

The 25-year-old has started the season with a brilliant knock that should give him confidence going forward. He could prove to be CSK's most important player in IPL 2025 and here are three reasons why:

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#3 Excellent current form

Rachin Ravindra has been in excellent form coming into IPL 2025 and carried it into the first game of the season for CSK. Rachin ended the recently concluded 2025 Champions Trophy as the leading run-scorer.

He scored 263 runs from four games at an average of 65.75 and strike-rate of 106.47, including two centuries. New Zealand made it to the final but lost to eventual champions India.

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#2 Rachin Ravindra brings stability and allows other batters to play freely

Rachin Ravindra, with his ability to play anchor and also score at a decent strike-rate upfront, brings a lot of stability to CSK's batting order. In the game against Mumbai, he managed the run chase brilliantly with support from other batters.

His style of play allows others to express themselves. With Rachin holding one end, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was able to play freely as he slammed a quickfire 26-ball 53, striking at 203.85.

This was only possible under pressure in a run chase because Rachin played anchor at the other end and ensured to bat till the end while the others took their chances. This can prove to be a key factor in CSK's campaign in IPL 2025.

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#1 CSK's batting appears brittle after Shivam Dube

In the game against Mumbai Indians, Rahul Tripathi opened the batting along with Rachin Ravindra. Skipper Ruturaj walked in at three and was followed by Shivam Dube.

The top four in the batting order look strong with a good mix of firepower and stability. However, the batting appears to be slightly brittle after Shivam Dube. Deepak Hooda and Sam Curran walked in at five and six. While they do have the ability, it remains to be seen whether they can deliver under pressure.

Ravindra Jadeja comes in next but given the demands of the modern-day T20 game, the likes of Hooda, Curran, and Jadeja may not give enough promise with Dhoni coming in late too. In such a scenario, Rachin's role in setting the game up, as he did against MI, becomes all the more critical for CSK.