Noor Ahmad praises MS Dhoni after stellar CSK debut
What's the story
Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad had a dream debut for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
He took four wickets on debut against Mumbai Indians on March 23 in Chennai.
One of his scalps, that of stand-in MI captain Suryakumar Yadav, was especially memorable due to MS Dhoni's lightning-fast stumping after a brilliant delivery.
Behind the scenes
Dhoni's role in Suryakumar's dismissal
Despite being 43, MS Dhoni was instrumental in Yadav's dismissal. He removed the bails within a mere 0.12 seconds of catching the ball.
Noor Ahmad was thankful to have such an experienced player guide him through his debut spell.
"The stumping from MSD was out of this world. Feels great to have someone like Mahi bhai behind the stumps," Ahmad said in a post-match celebration.
Captain's corner
Ruturaj Gaikwad's performance and Dhoni's fitness
CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad also had a memorable match, scoring his fastest IPL half-century off just 22 balls while chasing a target of 156 runs.
He said he was happy with the team's victory and his new batting position at No.3 brings more balance to the team.
Gaikwad also revealed that Dhoni has come into this tournament fitter than ever, and doesn't practice his keeping skills at all.
Rising star
Noor Ahmad's journey and CSK's future prospects
Noor Ahmad, bought by CSK for ₹10 crore in the IPL 2025 auction, said he was eager to perform strongly for the franchise this season.
He was named Player of the Match in his debut game with impressive figures of 4/18 in four overs.
Looking ahead, Gaikwad is optimistic about the impact of Noor Ahmad and Khaleel Ahmed, who both had significant contributions in their first match against MI.