In the first match of IPL 2024, Chennai Super Kings kicked off their title defense with a solid victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Ruturaj Gaikwad, the new captain who replaced MS Dhoni, led the team to a winning start in his first game in charge.

MS Dhoni took 2 catches in the powerplay and reflex his comeback

MS Dhoni showed he’s still got it behind the stumps. Dhoni looked comfortable and sharp as he kept wickets during the powerplay after RCB chose to bat first at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Fans warmly welcomed Dhoni as he stepped onto the field for the national anthem, following the glittery IPL 2024 opening ceremony featuring AR Rahman and Akshay Kumar. Sporting his classic long hairstyle, Dhoni appeared calm and composed during the pre-match rituals.

The 42-years-old wasted no time in wowing the crowd, making a stunning dive to his right to prevent a boundary off Faf du Plessis’s bat. The Chepauk fans roared in approval for their beloved former captain, who displayed his trademark reflexes with style.

RCB go from 41 for 0 to 42 for 3 wickets in first innings

Faf du Plessis got Royal Challengers Bengaluru off to a blazing start, especially against Deepak Chahar, his former teammate. But his exciting innings was abruptly ended by left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman, thanks to a stunning catch by new recruit Rachin Ravindra.

In the same over, Rahman also sent Rajat Patidar back to the pavilion for a duck, marking MS Dhoni’s first catch of IPL 2024.

RCB suffered another blow when Glenn Maxwell was dismissed for a first-ball duck by Deepak Chahar, adding to their woes during the powerplay.

From a promising 41 for no loss, RCB stumbled to 42 for 3 as Chennai Super Kings struck thrice in quick succession, seizing the momentum.

Mustafizur Rahman picked up 4 wickets in his first appearance

Mustafizur Rahman, the Bangladesh pacer, had a standout debut for CSK in the match, delivering the best bowling performance by any Bangladeshi bowler in IPL history. He snatched four crucial wickets, giving away just 29 runs in his four overs, marking his personal best in the tournament.

Known fondly as ‘The Fizz’, Rahman made an immediate impact by dismissing opposition captain Faf Du Plessis in his very first over, with debutant Rachin Ravindra completing a fine catch in the deep. Following that, Rajat Patidar fell for a duck, caught behind by M.S. Dhoni.

Later on, Mustafizur struck again, this time claiming the wickets of Virat Kohli and Cameron Green in quick succession with his deceptive slower-ball cutter. Kohli’s dismissal, caught via a relay catch at the deep by Ajinkya Rahane and Rachin, was particularly crucial in halting RCB’s momentum.

Despite the setbacks, Dinesh Karthik and Anuj Rawat steadied the ship with a solid 95-run partnership, guiding RCB to a respectable total of 173/6 in their allotted twenty overs.

See Also: IPL 2024: CSK beat RCB by 6 wickets in opener; Points table updated

CSK easily chased down 174 runs in just 18.4 overs, thanks to a team effort with the bat, led by newcomer Rachin Ravindra. Mustafizur Rahman shone for the Super Kings, grabbing 4 wickets in his debut match for the five-time champions.

Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik fought hard with the bat for RCB, but it wasn’t enough as CSK cruised to victory with clinical batting. Shivam Dube, who came in as the Impact Player, played a crucial unbeaten knock of 34 runs, while Ravindra Jadeja remained not out on 25. Their partnership of 66 runs for the 5th wicket sealed the win for the Super Kings.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, leading the team in his first match, remained cool and composed throughout. He stayed in control, even after losing the toss and Faf du Plessis chose to bat first. Gaikwad was frequently seen discussing tactics with former captain MS Dhoni on the field, benefiting from the experience of the most successful captain in IPL history.

MS Dhoni, impressed everyone with his wicketkeeping skills in his return to competitive cricket after undergoing knee surgery last year.