As Chennai Super Kings return to their fortress of Chepauk after 1400 days to play the IPL, there is only one name on everyone's lips – MS Dhoni, who returns in front of his adoring fans for the first time since April 2019. After undergoing renovation, for the first time since 2008, all stands of the MA Chidambaram Stadium is accessible to the public. Last year, Dhoni ruled out IPL retirement, saying his dream is to play his final season in front of his adopted home in Chennai, and while it's not whether IPL 2023 is in fact Dhoni's swansong, MSD's appearance at Chepauk made the crowd go wild.
Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul may have won the toss and invited CSK to bat, but the real roar was reserved for Dhoni when Ian Bishop asked the captain about his views of returning to the venue. The decibel levels were such that despite speaking on the mic, one had to listen rather carefully to catch all the words carefully.
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"It does mean a lot to be back here. IPL started in 2008 but we've not played a lot of cricket here. Only about 5-6 seasons we've been here. This is the first time the full stadium will be operational; a few stands were empty earlier. Really glad that we get to play all our home games here at Chepauk, means a lot," Dhoni said at the toss as the Chennai crowd came unglued.
{{/usCountry}}"It does mean a lot to be back here. IPL started in 2008 but we've not played a lot of cricket here. Only about 5-6 seasons we've been here. This is the first time the full stadium will be operational; a few stands were empty earlier. Really glad that we get to play all our home games here at Chepauk, means a lot," Dhoni said at the toss as the Chennai crowd came unglued.
{{/usCountry}}And what better way to mark CSK's return grander than picking up a win. CSK, who played the season opener against defending champions Gujarat Titans, lost their first match by five wickets, and win here will give Chennai and its crowd reasons to cheer. Despite a defeat on Friday, CSK have gone in with an unchanged Playing XI. "Same squad for this game. Need to keep assessing our situation and keep revisiting our targets, keep a realistic goal in mind and take it from there," added Dhoni.
The MA Chidambaram Stadium is not known for its big totals. In fact, the average first innings total at this venue is anything between 150-160, which is challenging enough for the team batting second. "We'll bowl first. We want to know what we are chasing," said LSG captain Rahul.