There is a certain disadvantage that home teams have against Chennai Super Kings in IPL. The league format offers every franchise to play seven home games in a season. But that is only on paper. Such is the phenomenon of MS Dhoni, and that has been over the last 17 years of IPL history, that even the opposition crowd tends to don the CSK yellow, with No. 7 inscribed on the back. No matter where or when they play, it is the 'yellove' invasion that every venue witnesses, thus robbing every franchise of home support when they host Chennai Super Kings.
On Friday, Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins witnessed it first-hand when the orange-painted seats at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, ready to host the Orange Army, were filled with a sea of yellow, all waiting to see their superstar perhaps in his final IPL season.
Eventually, with three balls to spare in the CSK innings, Dhoni walked out and Hyderabad erupted. The crowd went berserk with 'Dhoni-Dhoni' chants.
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Following the match, Cummins was initially made aware that SRH, who won both their opening two matches at home in 2024, had failed to make the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium their fortress last season, having won only one of their seven homes games before being asked if the franchise made anything different before the start of this season. However, the World Cup-winning Aussie star highlighted the “crazy” reception that Dhoni received when he walked out to bat, admitting that it had left him flabbergasted.
{{/usCountry}}Following the match, Cummins was initially made aware that SRH, who won both their opening two matches at home in 2024, had failed to make the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium their fortress last season, having won only one of their seven homes games before being asked if the franchise made anything different before the start of this season. However, the World Cup-winning Aussie star highlighted the “crazy” reception that Dhoni received when he walked out to bat, admitting that it had left him flabbergasted.
{{/usCountry}}"Crowd was crazy tonight. When MS walked out, it was as loud as I've ever heard," he said. "But yes we love playing here and we made it two from two."
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When asked to make an appeal to the home crowd to turn up more in number in the SRH jersey, Cummins could only smile before sheepishly saying, "Please."
How SRH bounced back after Shivam Dube onslaught?
Dube was the only standout batter for CSK on the sluggish Hyderabad track as he smashed a fiery 45. Riding on his 24-ball effort, Chennai were well on track for a score of 190-200 as they had managed 115 for two in 13 overs. However, in the next seven overs, the visitors managed only 50 runs for the loss of three more wickets. Cummins revealed that it was a change of bowling plan that worked for SRH.
"Different soil. Slowed up a little bit as the game went on. Shivam was hitting it well against the spin. Thought we'll take chance with off-cutters," he said after SRH's six-wicket win.