Chennai, Mumbai highlight the impact of spinners in IPL thriller

In a season where the focus had been on high-scoring matches, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians proved that spinners still have a crucial role to play in the Indian Premier League. On Sunday, Afghanistan's Noor Ahmad delivered a sensational performance for Chennai, taking 4-18—the best figures for a Chennai spinner against Mumbai—restricting the five-time champions to a modest 155-9. His brilliant bowling paved the way for Chennai's four-wicket victory.

Despite the small target, Mumbai fought back strongly, with debutant Vignesh Puthur impressing with 3-32 from his left-arm wrist spin. The youngster's performance provided a much-needed challenge for Chennai.

"It feels special to play here in the IPL," said Ahmad after the match. "I'm happy for the team and happy with my contribution. The focus was on landing the ball in the right areas, and the wicket of Suryakumar Yadav was special. The stumping from MS Dhoni was out of this world. It feels great to have someone like him behind the stumps—it's great support for me."

Chennai's captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, praised his spin unit, noting that they had done exactly what was expected on a turning track at Chepauk Stadium. "Right after the auction, we were excited about bowling three spinners in tandem here," he said, referring to Noor, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin. "Noor brings the X-factor."

Mumbai's captain, Yadav, also lauded the talents of Puthur, who is yet to play senior cricket for Kerala. "Mumbai is known for giving youngsters opportunities," said Yadav. "The scouts do this for 10 months, and Vignesh is a product of that. I kept one over of his in my pocket in case the game went deep, but it was a no-brainer to give him the 18th over."