‘They were without Hardik Pandya, which was a big setback’: Navjot Singh Sidhu on Mumbai Indians defeat against Chennai Super Kings

NEW DELHI: Former New Zealand captain and batter Kane Williamson shared his thoughts on Rohit Sharma’s dismissals against left-arm pacers, Rohit got out on (0) in the third match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 where Mumbai Indians were taking on Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, reported Jio Hotstar.

Williamson said it was just the beginning of IPL Khaleel Ahmed has a knack for picking up wickets in the power-play, Roit has faced left-arm pacers throughout his career and he will continue to play with freedom. IPL is a very long tournament and when MI plays at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai it will suit him and his team.

“It’s just the first match. Khaleel Ahmed has a real knack for taking early wickets in the powerplay, and that set the tone for the Chennai side. As for Rohit, he has faced a huge number of left-arm pacers throughout his career, and he will continue to play with freedom. There’s a long tournament ahead, and I’m excited to see how he goes. We’ll also see a lot of variety in conditions. Here in Chennai, batsmanship–getting through tricky phases—is crucial. But when they return to Wankhede, it will be a completely different challenge, with conditions that suit Rohit and his team’s style of play.” Kane Williamson said while speaking on Jio Hotstar.

Analysing Mumbai Indians’ performance, former Indian player Navjot Singh Sidhu said when you lose three to four wickets in the power-play you are already on the back foot. MI was 30-40 runs shorter, he also said that this is the 11th time Mumbai has lost their first match of the IPL. MI was without Hardik and Bumrah which was a setback for Mumbai.

“Once you lose three or four early wickets in the first six overs, you’re already on the back foot. And they weren’t just 20-odd runs short; they were 30-40 runs short. That’s a gap you have to acknowledge. This is the 11th time they’ve lost their opening match, yet they have a history of bouncing back and winning tournaments–that’s their magic. They were without Hardik Pandya, which was a big setback, and missing Jasprit Bumrah was like losing both arms. Somewhere along the line, they made far too many mistakes. Navjot Singh Sidhu said while speaking on Jio Hotstar.

A lively performance from Noor Ahmed and a determined 65* from Rachin Ravindra guided Chennai Super Kings to a four-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians at Chepauk on Sunday in the current Indian Premier League.

Rachin Ravindra’s steady effort, combined with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad’s explosive 53, his quickest in the tournament, established the basis for the Super Kings’ successful chase on their home ground. At the same time, MI’s search for a win in their campaign opener continued unabated.

Brief Score: Mumbai Indians 155/9 (Tilak Varma 31, Suryakumar Yadav 29; Noor Ahmad 4-18) vs Chennai Super Kings 158/6 (Rachin Ravindra 65*, Ruturaj Gaikwad 53; Vignesh Puthur 3-32). (ANI)