Rachin Ravindra's unbeaten 65 got Chennai Super Kings over the line as they opened their 2025 Indian Premier League campaign with a four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians.

Mumbai, who finished bottom of the league table in both 2022 and 2024, entered Sunday's clash between the IPL's two most storied franchises without two of their headline players.

New captain Hardik Pandya was unavailable after being banned due to an over-rate offence last season, while Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to be fit until April due to a back injury.

If they were hoping for a quick start with the bat to boost their spirits, they were left disappointed. Khaleel Ahmed accounted for openers Rohit Sharma (0) and Ryan Rickelton (13), then Ravichandran Ashwin had Will Jacks caught for 11 as Mumbai stumbled to 36-3.

Suryakumar Yadav steadied the ship somewhat with 29 but then became the first of four batters to fall to Noor Ahmad, though the legendary MS Dhoni deserved plenty of credit for stumping him.

The 43-year-old, who is chasing a record-equalling sixth IPL crown this year, showed the reflexes of a man half his age to take the bails off and deepen the Indians' woes.

Ahmad then added three more wickets in a row, with Robin Minz (3), Tilak Varma (31) and Naman Dhir (17) all falling victim to the 20-year-old Afghanistan spinner, who finished 4-18 as Mumbai were limited to 155-9.

The Super Kings would have been supremely confident of chasing that target with little fuss, particularly when captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra put on a 67-run stand for their second wicket.

But when Gaikwad flicked Vignesh Puthur's delivery straight to Jacks for 53, the nerves kicked in and the hosts tumbled from 95-2 to 116-5.

Ravindra stayed the course, though, with his score coming off 45 deliveries, including three big sixes late on, as CSK got home with five balls to spare. The only complaint for the raucous crowd at the Chepauk Stadium was that they didn't get to see Dhoni score after he joined Ravindra at the crease.

Rach Running the show!
#CSKvMI #WhistlePodu  pic.twitter.com/5CQo9I6aPw

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 23, 2025

Data debrief: Ravindra makes good on his promise

Ravindra has been tipped for big things in the 2025 IPL, having been the leading run scorer while representing New Zealand at the recent Champions Trophy, averaging 65.75.

He anchored the Chennai chase brilliantly here, surpassing the 61 he scored against the Punjab Kings in the final game of the 2024 competition – his previous best IPL score.

The three sixes he slammed late on prevented it from being a nervy finish for Chennai, who went 29 deliveries without a boundary prior to the 17th over, offering Mumbai hope.

His last maximum denied team-mate Dhoni the chance to finish things off, and he will have to wait to overhaul Suresh Raina as Chennai's record run-scorer in IPL history – he is currently on 4,669, 18 away from equalling the record and 19 from breaking it.

19 - MS Dhoni (4669) is 19 away from overtaking Suresh Raina (4687) to become the highest run-scorer for @ChennaiIPL in the @IPL. Thala.#CSKvMI #TATAIPL #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/qLkXRx4tDs

— OptaJeev (@OptaJeev) March 23, 2025

The Indians, meanwhile, continued their miserable record in opening matches of IPL campaigns – they last got off to a winning start in 2012.