Chennai Super Kings stars of past, present, and future reunite for incredible walk down memory lane at Chepauk
CSK organised the Roar 26 fan event, as stars from their 18-year history met again on the grounds of the Chepauk in celebration of the franchise.
With five IPL trophies to their name and plenty of fine memories for their fans, Chennai Super Kings are arguably the most storied IPL franchise, their history littered with some legendary players and names which have become iconic in the fabric of Indian cricket. On Sunday, 22nd March, with less than a week to go to the start of the nineteenth season of the tournament, the team organised a fan event in which they welcomed back all of those legends to the Chepauk in anticipation of what comes next.

At the Roar ‘26 event organised over the weekend, Chennai welcomed back plenty of big names over their time in the IPL, as players old and new alike united to be suited up in yellow once again. At the helm was MS Dhoni, whose incredible fan-following ensured he remained the biggest draw at the event – but he was surrounded by the faces that made his IPL teams what they have been for nearly two decades.
This included reunions with Suresh Raina, and other players synonymous with the Chennai yellow. Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Dwayne Bravo and Subramaniam Badrinath, all of whom were part of Chennai’s initial successes were present, as were others who made their names shine in briefer periods – Muttiah Muralitharan, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Harbhajan Singh, and Ambati Rayudu, with many many more.
Samson, Gaikwad, Mhatre rub shoulders with CSK greats
The event gave these players an opportunity to link up with the stars of today and tomorrow – not least captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, and new joinee Sanju Samson, who is one of the most popular cricketers in the country and will play his maiden season in Chennai following a player of the tournament showing at the T20 World Cup – the man known as ‘Chetta’ being commemorated at his new home ground before the season.
In clips shared from the event, Dhoni can be seen beaming full smiles as he saw teammates from his past reunited at the M Chidambaram Stadium, sharing jokes with reliable deputies like Badrinath and Rayudu, or having some fun at the expense of Dwayne Bravo as the now-KKR coach bowled some looseners.
Gaikwad also was clipped up bowling to Mike Hussey, and the Australian batter who won the 2013 Orange Cap looked like he could still be going in the IPL as he played a couple of gorgeous cover drives for six. With all the players mic’d up, it was an evening of great fun and recollection as CSK fans got the chance to revisit some beautiful memories.
The current IPL squad for the CSK also held an open practice with some light drills inf ront of the fans, kicking around footballs and enjoying themselves in the sun. It was a memorable moment for some of India’s world champions – U19 captain Ayush Mhatre, alongside Shivam Dube and Samson, were awarded plaques by Dhoni as their feats in lifting trophies inr ecent months were commemorated.
ABOUT THE AUTHORKartikay DuttaKartikay Dutta is a sports writer with the Hindustan Times Sports Desk, having joined in August 2024 to further his professional journey and pursue his long-standing ambition of working in sports media. With a strong interest in cricket, tennis, and football, Kartikay focuses on exploring the deeper layers of sport beyond the immediate action on the field. His work centres on producing insightful long-form and analytical pieces that examine the stories behind performances, teams, and tournaments. He is particularly interested in narratives that intersect with culture, history, and politics, helping readers understand how modern sport evolves within a broader social context. Before joining Hindustan Times, Kartikay worked with leading digital newsrooms in India, where he developed a strong foundation in data-driven storytelling. He is skilled at using statistics, records, and historical trends to uncover patterns and perspectives that add depth to match coverage and sports features. His approach combines research with narrative clarity, allowing complex sporting developments to be presented in an engaging and accessible manner. Kartikay also has a growing passion for multimedia storytelling. He actively explores how photographs, videos, and graphics can enhance sports journalism by illustrating not only what happens during competition but also the preparation, strategy, and operational dynamics behind the scenes. Through this evolving skill set, he aims to contribute to a more immersive and modern form of sports storytelling that connects audiences more closely with the games they follow.Read More
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