IPL 2023

CSK's strength in familiarity

Could a return to a familiar Chepauk be rejuvenative for Dhoni's CSK?
Could a return to a familiar Chepauk be rejuvenative for Dhoni's CSK? ©BCCI

On the balmy Sunday evening under the Chepauk lights, MS Dhoni lined up for a net session. A few balls in, the 41-year-old sent a throwdown from Michael Hussey deep into the stands at long on, the thwack of the ball hitting the bat echoing in the empty stadium. Two balls later, one flew over the deep midwicket region. This felt familiar.

The MA Chidambaram stadium is all decked up. The walls look new, the bucket seats are shiny, and there's a beautiful Dhoni mural to see for as far as you can crane your neck upwards. You can even ride the metro rail to the venue for free if you hold a matchday ticket. Monday will be the first time in 1427 days that the man in the mural will lead CSK out at Chepauk, and the powers-that-be are pulling out all the stops to make it an enriching experience for everyone involved.

This feeling, though, is not unique to Chennai. The wait to take in the home crowd vibes and atmosphere is being felt at venues all around the country. A similar anticipation is cutting the air everywhere. To know why CSK's return to Chepauk is special and the coming together of two pieces of a jigsaw that click into picture-perfect alignment, rewind back to the 2020 season.

The coronavirus pandemic was rampant and the IPL had to be taken to the UAE, where three venues - Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah - presented a different set of challenges for teams. And CSK were the worst sufferers. After picking 0 of the six available points in the first three games - one each at the three venues - Stephen Fleming repeatedly reiterated that CSK's squad was 'built for Chepauk'.

Team Venue Played Won Lost NR Win %
CSK Chennai 56 40 16 0 71.43

The broad definition of that claim was on full display in 2019. Only three oppositions scored more than 150 at the venue that year, and only one of those - the eventual winners - could pick points from the hosts in those games. The CSK of four years ago just knew the home conditions like the back of their hand, pacing their batting innings with clockwork precision and unleashing hell with spinners and PowerPlay expert Deepak Chahar.

Any concerns about what kind of a CSK would return after the two-year hiatus in 2016 and 2017 were allayed by a title romp in 2018 and a dominant 2019 that culminated in another final appearance. But the moment the tournament was moved out of their comfort zone, the aura of the multiple title-winning side vanished.

They looked stale and out of ideas instead in a season where they won just six games, finished second from bottom and, in the words of Dhoni, were "a boat with too many holes to plug". They were fallible, crestfallen and their captain of 12 years a shadow of his former self. They flipped the narrative in 2021 by adding a fourth title despite not playing in Chepauk, but a far worse season than 2020 ensued in 2022. Four wins in 14 shattered spectacularly their image of being an IPL powerhouse with the knack to thrash out wins and playoffs appearances. The four-time winners were still the closest competitors to Mumbai Indians in terms of titles won, and yet looked vanquished beyond doubt and in a desperate need of a big reset.

Which now brings us back to 2023 where CSK reunite with the Chepauk crowd and conditions. Though a complete reset was not achieved and they started groggily, all bets are off about the extent of what is achievable for this side that could still transform into a familiar win machine with seven home games. In an ironic turn of events, CSK's form could trump recent reputation after the reverse was true for expectations in both of their misfiring campaigns that came right after two title wins.

"It's great to be back here," batting coach Hussey said at an event on Sunday. "It's been so long since we've been able to play a game at Chepauk. I know the players and the coaching staff are really excited about the match coming up. I'm sure the fans are going to be more excited. Really looking forward to a packed house making lots of noise and it will lift them up and hopefully we can put on a great show." Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad, a find that gave some meaning to their 2020 season, echoed Hussey's thoughts while being among a handful of the CSK squad members who have never experienced the Chepauk atmosphere.

"I think everyone is excited. There are few players who have played here a few years back and there are few players who have obviously played four years back and there are players who are playing here for the first time, including me," Ruturaj said on Sunday. "Right from the day that it was announced that it'll be home-away (format) and that we'll be playing at Chepauk, and renovate the stadium and everything is new, I've been actually really excited. I think everyone around the group is really excited. Because, the fans will be back. Hoping we'll have a full house."

Dhoni is yet to confirm if this will be his last year as a player for CSK, but the reunion for fans who count and celebrate him as their own promises to be cathartic. For him and his side, could a return to familiarity be rejuvenative? We've got seven evenings - some potentially balmy, some unforgiving - over the next two months to find out.

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