IPL 2025: Delhi Capitals outclass Chennai Super Kings

KL Rahul dazzles with 77, leggie Vipraj impresses too as Delhi taste 1st win in Chennai after 15 years

CHENNAI: For years, Chennai Super Kings were the masters of choking the opposition at the MA Chidambaram Stadium . Things seem to have changed drastically this season as the five-time champions lost to Delhi Capitals here — a result that has gone against them for the first time in 15 years at this venue. This comes on the back of a loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru after 17 years in their second game.

While CSK looked completely listless both with the ball and the bat, it was KL Rahul who rose to the occasion and showed why he is one of the best Indian batters across formats. On a red-soil deck that had something in it for both pacers and spinners, he set the tone early, soaked up the pressure, and anchored Delhi to a commanding 25-run win. While Delhi have made it three wins on the trot, this is CSK’s third consecutive defeat.

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Rahul’s fluent 77 off 51 balls (6x4, 3x6) propelled Delhi to a competitive 183-6.

In reply, the hosts kept losing wickets and were never in the chase. Now, CSK haven’t successfully chased a target of more than 175 since 2021.

Things started off well for CSK as medium-pacer Khaleel Ahmed got them the early wicket of Jake FraserMcGurk for a duck. But Rahul, who opened in the absence of an injured Faf du Plessis, was in the mood right from the word go. A pick-up shot behind square off Khaleel for six stood out. It was bold, precise, and full of flair. And, rather than retreating once spin was introduced on the reddishbrown track, he adopted the bold template. Noor Ahmad, the purple cap holder and CSK’s new go-to man in middle overs, was taken apart by Rahul. A slog-swept six, a regal straight drive, and a clean sweep across the line – Rahul, who can play spin well, didn’t hold back.



Rahul also found able allies and he put together a 54-run stand (for the second wicket) with Abhishek Porel, followed by a 56-run (fourth wicket) partnership with Sameer Rizvi. Sameer and Rahul took DC to the safe confines of 150, especially targeting Choudhary, who finished with forgettable figures of 0-50. Once the chase began, CSK opener Rachin Ravindra failed to come to terms with the slowness of the track and gave a simple return catch to Mukesh Kumar. While Mitchell Starc removed captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was deemed fit after an elbow injury in the last game, the hero of the Delhi bowling show as their leggie Vipraj Nigam . Brought in within the powerplay, the leggie was brave enough to give the ball a bit of air and induced an edge off Devon Conway to send the Kiwi opener back.

But the biggest moment for Vipraj (2-27) came a few overs later when he removed the designated spin-hitter and CSK’s danger man Shivam Dube, caught in the deep. The 20-year-old Vipraj should have had a third one, but Kuldeep Yadav dropped a difficult chance offered by Vijay Shankar at short fine-leg. But that didn’t matter because neither Shankar, nor MS Dhoni, coming in to bat at No. 7, had anything in their game to make a match of it.