Chennai Super Kings began their IPL 2025 campaign in a commanding fashion, pulling off a comprehensive four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians on Sunday in Chennai. But, what stole the show was a lightning-fast stumping from MS Dhoni of Suryakumar Yadav that delighted fans in Chennai a lot. Moreover, former Australian cricketer and legend Matthew Hayden was left impressed by Dhoni’s scintillating skills.
"He [Dhoni] was on fire. I mean Noor Ahmad was firing down the leg side and it was just a movement across the ball. You know, they're difficult when you when you're sitting there sort of partially obscured by the batsman. Then the stumping was just superb, just such quick timing, great hands, good vision. He's still got it,” Hayden said on ESPNcricinfo's T20 Time Out.
Former Indian spinner Piyush Chawla felt that Dhoni must have practised with Noor to get used to his bowling.
"It does happen, it is a challenge if you have not kept against somebody. But I'm sure in the camp, he must have kept a lot of balls because if he's keeping for somebody new, he especially takes that person to the stumps and says, you bowl a few balls,” Chawla said on the same show.
"[It has] not [happened] with me because I have bowled against him so many times and bowled to him in the nets also. But whenever somebody new comes, especially a wristspinner, he just makes sure he's keeping 10-12 balls so that he gets used to the wrist position."
Chasing a total of 158, CSK got off to a dreamy start, with young Rachin Ravindra and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad playing elegantly. After the wicket of Rahul Tripathi, Rachin and Ruturaj anchored the chase nicely, clouting (65*) and (53) respectively. CSK’s next fixture is against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday.