IPL 2022: Tilak Varma’s half-century saves MI the blushes against CSK

Mumbai Indians’ N Tilak Varma en route his unbeaten 51 against Chennai Super Kings at the DY Patil Stadium yesterday. Pic/PTI

A triple strike at the start by young Chennai Super Kings left-arm pace bowler Mukesh Choudhary stunned winless Mumbai Indians who later recovered to 155 for 7 in their high-profile IPL match at the DY Patil Stadium on Thursday.

At the time of going to press, CSK were 66-3 after nine overs. CSK's chase was in taters, losing opener Ruturaj Gaikwad on the first ball of the innings and No.3 batsman Mitchell Santner (3). Both wickets were claimed by MI pacer Daniel Sams.

Choudhary strikes

Earlier, Choudhary picked up the wickets of MI skipper Rohit Sharma and fellow-opener Ishan Kishan, both for ducks, in his first five balls, before adding Dewald Brewis's scalp for superb figures of 3 for 19 in three overs.

MI, 23 for 3 after the triple blow, recovered through a combination of poor catching by CSK, in which skipper Ravindra Jadeja was the main culprit with two let-offs, and Tilak Varma's 51 not out in 43 balls after being dropped on two by Dwayne Bravo off Choudhary.

Left-handed Varma top-scored for MI with the help of three fours and two sixes after MI were asked to take first strike on a "damp wicket" by Jadeja.

In-form Suryakumar Yadav made 32 in 22 balls while another youngster Hrithik Shokeen made a run-a-ball 25, but MI lost wickets regularly.
There was a stand of 38 between Varma and Shokeen and another unfinished 35 in 16 balls between the left-handed batter and Jaydev Unadkat (19 not out in nine balls) towards the end which helped MI reach a score of respectability after they were 85 for 5 in 16.2 overs.

Bravo too chipped in with two wickets while left-arm spinner Santner was unlucky not to add to his lone wicket.

Choudhary gave CSK, seeking a second win in seven matches, a flying start. MI's out-of-form opener Rohit flicked the second ball of the game straight to mid-on fielder Santner and departed for a duck. Off the fifth ball, Choudhary dismissed Kishan for a first-ball duck, beating the southpaw all ends up with a full length ball and sent his stump flying.

Surya shines

MI, 2 for 2, then lost Brewis in the last ball of the third over when Choudhary, 25, the highest wicket-taker in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Maharashtra this season, had him caught behind for four to leave the team tottering at 23 for 3.

MI were lucky that they didn't lose Suryakumar too to Santner when MS Dhoni missed a difficult stumping chance. Santner was also unlucky when Jadeja dropped two catches off his bowling, the first one off Brevis and the second to let off debutant Shokeen (14).