CSK – YELLOVE!!

 As my friends and me huddled around for the final over of the 2007 world cup, we knew there was something special around the corner. As we celebrated fanatically Misbah’s miscued scoop shot which rested in Sreesanth’s palms, I knew that T20 was here to stay.

As Chennai Super Kings (CSK) won their first IPL title in 2010, me and my friends in our Masters held out our own small march in our university campus to celebrate the victory. Through the years, CSK has gone through many ups and downs, with them being banned for 2 years, to them not qualifying for playoffs on certain seasons and them even being quipped ‘Dad’s Army’ for the above average age of their players. Every time they have come out stronger and better to win the IPL championship 4 times.

The past weekend was perhaps the best of all IPL matches and my destiny helped me watch the match as it got postponed for a day, due to heavy rain. As the batsman of Gujrat Titans took CSK bowlers to cleaners, I had lost all of hope of a championship win. The rain, which had been playing spoilsport, returned with vengeance once again and it seemed like the match would be abandoned. However, destiny had other plans and the match started with reduced overs with a new target based on the infamous DLS system, which definitely needs to be looked at.

CSK made a brisk start during the powerplay overs, with both openers getting a move on. However, the middle over batting was a revelation, wherein even with loss of wickets at regular intervals each of the batsman (Dube, Rayadu, Rahane) kept going for their shots and it eventually boiled down to 10 runs of 2 balls, an improbable situation considering that they were up against the best death bowler of the tournament, former CSKian, Mohit Sharma (who’s story this IPL has literally been a phoenix rising from the ashes).

All through last year, Ravindra Jadeja career had been under immense pressure. Made the captain of CSK last year, he failed to lead them to play-offs eventually giving it up to Dhoni once again. A freak injury saw him lose out of T20 World Cup campaign in Australia. Coming into IPL, Jadeja had long conversations with Dhoni leading upto some twitter posts which speculated the rift between him and his captain.

As Jaddu decided to swing for the mountains, he somehow connected the first the 2 remaining balls and it sailed over long-on for a six. With 4 runs needed off the last ball, it reminded me of the infamous 2019 finals, where CSK lost to Mumbai Indians by just a run, setting up quite a heart break. However, Jaddu flicked the last balls of his legs for a boundary and even before the ball reached the boundary, frantically ran through the grounds and into the hands of his captain, Dhoni, who bear hugged and lifted his champion to provide us with one of the most iconic picture of this IPL.

 

Dhoni and CSK had done it again; with a failing knee, rookie bowlers and ageing batsman, pulled not just a rabbit out of a hat but the championship from everyone’s grasp. The icing on the cake was however, was Dhoni’s intention to perhaps return to play next year for his last IPL, for he has promised us that his last match would be in Chepauk, for the people who have loving adored their Thala.