In a surprising strategic shift for their IPL 2025 match against Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) deviated from their established opening partnership of Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Conway was omitted from the playing XI, while Ruturaj was moved down the batting order. Instead, Rachin Ravindra and Rahul Tripathi were deployed as the openers. Despite this change, Ruturaj Gaikwad remained available for batting, entering the fray at number three. CSK's batting coach Michael Hussey explained the rationale behind the decision and revealed that it was driven by a desire to leverage Tripathi's aggressive style during the powerplay overs. They also highlighted Ruturaj's adaptability, making him well-suited for the number three position, where he can effectively contribute in various match situations.
Rahul Tripathi joined CSK in the 2025 IPL Mega Auction, acquired for a sum of Rs. 3.40 crore, while Rachin Ravindra was retained by the franchise through the Right to Match (RTM) card for a bargain price of Rs. 4 crore.
Ruturaj Gaikwad's recent domestic appearances have showcased his versatility, as he frequently batted in the middle order for Maharashtra across various formats. Furthermore, he gained experience batting at numbers three and four for India during their tour of Zimbabwe last year. Despite these performances, he has not featured for the senior national team in any format since. However, his leadership skills were recognized as he captained the India C side in the 2024-25 Duleep Trophy and the Rest of India side in the Irani Cup. He also led the India 'A' team during their shadow tour in Australia, which included two first-class matches.
In the match against Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings won the toss and elected to bowl. Making their debut for the franchise, Noor Ahmed and Khaleel Ahmed delivered exceptional bowling performances, restricting Mumbai Indians to a total of just 155 runs. Noor Ahmed's impressive spell yielded four wickets for a mere 18 runs, while Khaleel Ahmed dismissed key batsmen, including Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, and Trent Boult.
CSK got off to a decent start as Ruturaj's blistering fifty steered them to 79/2 after 8 overs. However, Ruturaj cracked a lightning 26-ball 53 riding on six fours and three sixes before falling prey to Vignesh Puthur.
Mumbai Indians (Playing XI):
Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton(w), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Robin Minz, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Satyanarayana Raju
Impact Subs: Vignesh Puthur, Ashwani Kumar, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Karn Sharma
Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI):
Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Rachin Ravindra, Deepak Hooda, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, MS Dhoni(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Nathan Ellis, Khaleel Ahmed
Impact Subs: Rahul Tripathi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Vijay Shankar, Jamie Overton, Shaik Rasheed