4 instances of a CSK debutant winning the Player of the Match in the IPL ft. Noor Ahmad
Putting in a performance worthy of a Player of the Match award in a competitive league like the Indian Premier League (IPL) is a huge deal, but doing it for a top franchise is even bigger, considering the pressure and the expectations. As a result, it is hardly surprising that only a few players have managed to achieve the rare feat.
Over a hundred players have represented CSK across 18 editions, and only a fraction of them have been able to win a Player of the Match award on their debut. It is a feat that even some of the champion players who have donned the iconic yellow have failed to achieve. You only get one debut, which makes it a difficult prospect.
On that note, let us take a look at a handful of players who have managed to win the Player of the Match award on their CSK debut in the IPL so far.
#1 Michael Hussey
CSK's inaugural game in the IPL featured 11 debutants, which included Michael Hussey. The Australian batter, coming in at No.3, scored a brilliant unbeaten 116 off 54 deliveries to propel the MS Dhoni-led side to 240 against the Kings Xi Punjab in Mohali.
He was awarded the player of the match for his efforts as it helped CSK win their first match by 33 runs. Hussey went on to become a CSK legend, winning nine more Player of the Match awards in the IPL for the franchise, as well as multiple titles.
#2 Sam Billings
The English wicket-keeper batter made his debut for CSK in the 2018 edition, during a clash against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The clash marked the return of CSK to their home turf after their two-year ban, and it was far from a straightforward encounter.
Chasing 203 for a win, CSK were in trouble midway through the chase after an electrifying start by Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu.
Billings, joining CSK after a two-year stint with the Delhi Daredevils, scored a match-winning 56 runs off 23 balls before Ravindra Jadeja finished off the run chase with a ball to spare.
#3 Mustafizur Rahman
The Bangladesh veteran seamer was a typical CSK signing at the auction ahead of the 2024 season. The left-handed pacer made his debut for CSK in the IPL 2024 opening clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Mustafizur stole the show with his impressive spell across all three phases of the game to finish with figures of 4-29. He was responsible for key wickets like that of Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, Cameron Green, and Rajat Patidar. His spell restricted RCB to 173, while CSK chased down the score with eight balls to spare.
#4 Noor Ahmad
CSK went all out to bag the Afghanistan spinner at the IPL 2025 mega auction, going on to beat the Gujarat Titans' (GT) Right to Match attempt to secure the signing for INR 10 crore. The left-arm wrist-spinner was touted to play a huge role for the franchise in the spin-friendly conditions in Chepauk and made an impact straightaway.
Noor Ahmad complemented both R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in the newly-forged CSK spin attack on his CSK debut against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in the early stages of the IPL 2025 season. He spun a web around the visiting batters, inducing a collapse, with the wickets of Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Robin Minz, and Naman Dhir to end with figures of 4-18, as well as the player of the match award.
Former CSK spinner Shadab Jakati also managed to bag the player of the match in his first outing with the ball during the CSK colors in the 2009 season. He picked up figures of 4-24 against Delhi in Johannesburg after not being handed a chance to bowl on his debut against the Rajasthan Royals (RR).