CSK vs MI | Player Ratings: Lasith Malinga, Rohit Sharma’s brilliance help Mumbai Indians breach Chennai fortress

Quinton de Kock (5.5/10): The southpaw resumed his innings from where he had left against Rajasthan Royals. The sound of the ball middling the bat was exquisite, but couldn’t flounder after an emphatic start. Had de Kock batted the entire powerplay overs, CSK bowlers would have had a nightmare at Chepauk. It is often said, when in form, one should make the most of it to cover up for the lean patch. De Kock won’t be too happy with his mode of dismissal as he failed to pick a slower delivery and ended up top-edging the ball.   

Krunal Pandya (6/10): Promoted up the order to maintain the left hand-right hand combination, Krunal’s failure only hampered MI’s progress. This was not the kind of a surface where batsman could attack from the word go. With the ball, his performance was contradictory. The ball was gripping and Krunal ensured he exploited the conditions to the fullest by scalping two wickets for seven in three overs.  

Hardik Pandya (6/10): MI were all set to witness yet another Hardik Pandya carnage at Chepauk. The stage was well set for him to go all guns blazing and squeeze as many runs as possible in death overs. However, the surface was a tough one to bat on and Pandya did all he could within his reach to get MI to a decent total. Such high has been the standards set by Hardik that a knock of 23 not out off 18 tonight looks absolutely mediocre. Pandya was a touch expensive with the ball but ended Raina’s run on the very first ball of his spell.    

Kieron Pollard (4.5/10): On a surface where spinners were making the ball talk, Pollard had a tough time in negotiating the CSK bowlers. His confidence took a beating after enduring five dot deliveries on a trot and found it hard to come back from there. He, somehow, managed to get bat on ball and milk two boundaries, but 13 off 12 does not demand more than 4.5 points. 

Rahul Chahar (7.5/10): It’s not an easy job to maintain the pressure when you’re rubbing shoulders with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga and Hardik Pandya. But Chahar has managed to do more than what was expected out of him. The young leggie is debunking the myth of wrist-spinners being expensive customers in this format. Although the surface was conducive for spin bowling, he tightened the noose with immaculate line and length. 

Lasith Malinga (6.5/10): A lion may get old, but never forgets to hunt! The saying stands incredibly true as far as Malinga is concerned. He was erratic to begin with, but a bowler of his calibre cannot be written off. He was fortunate to have Watson’s dismissal to his name but did well to break CSK’s spine by claiming three more. His expensive figures can be overlooked since he bagged four wickets to help MI register a massive win.