Not Noor Ahmad But 'This' Player Deserved The Man Of The Match In MI vs CSK

Noor Ahmad and MS Dhoni vs MI [Source: @ObsessionSnap/x.com]

In a thrilling IPL 2025 encounter at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Super Kings secured a 4-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians. While Noor Ahmad was officially declared the Man of the Match for his outstanding figures of 4-18, our impact metrics reveal that captain Ruturaj Gaikwad's explosive 53 off just 26 balls might have been the more influential performance.

Captain Gaikwad Setting the Stage

Gaikwad's innings, characterized by its timing and aggression, contributed a substantial 33.5% of CSK's total, setting the tone for their successful chase of 156. His impact score of 108.74 edged out Noor Ahmad's 79.48, highlighting the crucial game-changing nature of his knock.

Gaikwad's Power-Hitting Dominance

Coming in after the early loss of a wicket with CSK at just 11 runs, Gaikwad took immediate control of the powerplay phase. He scored a remarkable 42 runs off 19 balls at a strike rate of 221.05 during this crucial period, neutralizing Mumbai's early advantage. His boundary percentage of runs was an astonishing 79.25% (42 runs from 53 coming from boundaries), with 6 fours and 3 sixes, effectively deflating the opposition bowling attack.

Ruturaj Gaikwad vs Noor Ahmad: Head-to-Head Comparison

Match Context Analysis

The match context further elevates Gaikwad's contribution. He formed a critical 66-run partnership with Rachin Ravindra, contributing 53 runs himself while Ravindra added only 13 during their stand. By the time Gaikwad was dismissed, CSK had reached 78, with the required run rate significantly reduced.

Noor Ahmad vs Ruturaj Gaikwad impact comparison [Source: OneCricket]

The figure shows at which phase the two players impacted the match. It outlines the context of when CSK captain delivered his brilliance.

Timing and Impact

While Noor Ahmad's spell was undoubtedly exceptional, particularly his middle-overs wickets of Surya Kumar Yadav, Robin Minz, and N Tilak Varma, but these came when Mumbai were already under pressure at 59/3. His economy rate of 4.19 was excellent, and he further capitalized on the advantage that CSK's early bowlers had created. Noor's wickets ensured Mumbai couldn't rebuild after their top-order collapse.

The key difference lies in the timing of their contributions—Gaikwad's innings came when the match hung in the balance, setting up the chase perfectly. His aggressive approach against the new ball eliminated any early advantage Mumbai might have gained, essentially front-loading the chase and reducing pressure on the batsmen to follow.

Conclusion

While both performances were outstanding, Gaikwad's explosive innings at a crucial juncture of the game, coupled with his leadership role, arguably had the more significant impact on the final outcome, making him the deserving holder of our Impact Performer of The Match.

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