IPL 2020: 3 talking points from MI vs CSK | 19th September

The Chennai Super Kings have begun their IPL 2020 campaign with an emphatic win over the Mumbai Indians. Ambati Rayudu starred with the bat, scoring 71 runs off just 48 deliveries. Faf du Plessis played a great hand of 58*, assisting Rayudu and making sure that CSK won the game by 5 wickets with 4 balls to spare.

Being set a target of 163, the CSK openers needed to get off to a good start. However, Trent Boult and James Pattinson picked up one wicket each and put CSK in a spot of bother at 6-2. This is when Ambati Rayudu and Faf du Plessis strung a huge partnership of 115 runs for the third wicket.

Rayudu's wicket brought the defending IPL champions back in the game but cameos from Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran made sure that CSK won the game with 4 balls to spare. Faf du Plessis remained unbeaten on 58 and ensured that they were no further hiccups in the chase.

Earlier, Mumbai Indians were put in to bat and got off to a flying start, thanks to Quinton de Kock's quickfire 33. Saurabh Tiwary also played a fine innings of 42. However, Mumbai Indians lost wickets at regular intervals at the back end of their innings and could only post 162-9 in their 20 overs. Lungi Ngidi was the pick of the CSK bowlers with figures of 3-38.

Who scored the most runs in IPL, click here to find out.

Let us now look at three taling points from the IPL encounter between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings:

IPL 2020: 3 talking points from MI vs CSK

1) Defending IPL champions Mumbai Indians' batting collapse

IPL 2020: Mumbai Indians lost 6-35 towards the back end of their innings and could only post 162-9 in their 20 overs

Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma got Mumbai Indians to a flying start in the IPL. Suryakumar Yadav and Saurabh Tiwary consolidated the Mumbai Indians innings with a handy partnership. After Suryakumar Yadav's wicket, Hardik Pandya came in with a positive mindset and smashed 2 sixes in Ravindra Jadeja's over.

At 121-3, Mumbai Indians looked set to post a total around the180-mark but Saurabh Tiwary's wicket triggered a Mumbai Indians batting collapse. Faf du Plessis's brilliance on the boundary line ensure that both Tiwary and Hardik returned to the hut.

Mumbai Indians went on to lose 6 wickets for 35 runs towards the back end of their innings. Wickets kept on tumbling and no batsman could give them the kind of finish they needed. Mumbai Indians ended up posting 162-9 in their 20 overs with Tiwary being their highest-scorer with 42 runs.

2) Ambati Rayudu's brilliant 71

IPL 2020: Ambati Rayudu hit 71 runs off just 48 balls and was adjudged the man of the match

Chasing 163 to win, Chennai Super Kings lost 2 quick wickets and were in a spot of bother at 6-2. Ambati Rayudu and Faf du Plessis cautiously negotiated the eariy attack from the Mumbai Indians' pacers. Both Rayudu and Faf du Plessis put the bad balls away and slowly built CSK's innings.

Ambati Rayudu did not let the Mumbai Indians bowlers settle and bowl at one spot. Putting his dancing shoes on, he made excellent used of the crease, getting down the track and smashing the spinners to all parts of the ground. He didn't even hesitate to take on probably MI's best bowler Jasprit Bumrah.

Faf du Plessis rotated the strike and let Ambati Rayudu take the game to the opposition. The duo added 115 runs for the third wicket. Rayudu scored 71 runs of just 48 balls including 6 fours and 3 huge sixes.

3) MS Dhoni's move to promote Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran ahead of him

IPL 2020: MS Dhoni played a masterstroke by promoting Jadeja and Curran ahead of him, whose cameos helped CSK win comfortably

Chennai Super Kings were cruising at 121-2, requiring 42 runs off the last 4.1 overs with 8 wickets in hand. However, Mumbai Indians seemed to make a comeback in the game when Rahul Chahar took a brilliant running catch off his own bowling to dismiss Rayudu.

Everyone expected CSK skipper MS Dhoni to walk out to bat and take CSK home. However, Dhoni sent left-handed Ravindra Jadeja at No.5. Jadeja was sent in to score some quick runs and he did so by smashing 2 boundaries in an over of James Pattinson. After Jadeja was dismissed for 10 off 5 balls, all eyes were on Dhoni to come and finish the IPL game.

However, he sent young Sam Curran ahead of him to break open the chase. Still needing 29 runs off 17 balls, it was anyone's game. Sam Curran smashed a full toss from Krunal Pandya over mid wicket for a maximum. The very next ball, he smashed a boundary over the covers.

With 16 runs needed off 12 balls, the only hope for Mumbai Indians was a magcial over from Jasprit Bumrah. But Curran hit the first ball of Bumrah's over for a six over mid wicket and brought the equation down to less than a run a ball. Although he was dismissed off the very next delivery, his 18 runs of 6 balls paved the way for an easy CSK win. Thus MS Dhoni had played yet another masterstroke by promoting Jadeja and Curran ahead of him.

Ambati Raydu was adjudged the Man of the Match for his match-winning knock of 71. Here were his thoughts:

"I kept training in the lockdown. It was a stop-start but I was really eager. When the dew came on batting became much easier. We practiced in Chennai which really helped and then in Dubai as well."

The Chennai Super Kings will now face the Rajasthan Royals on September 22nd while the Mumbai Indians will face the Kolkata Knight Riders on September 23rd at Abu Dhabi.