MS Dhoni and CSK: A Bond Intertwined

MS Dhoni and Chennai is a love story. An emotion which transcends everything. The city not only spread its arms for the former India captain when he first turned out in Chennai Super Kings’ yellow but gave him so much love that it has now forced him to delay the IPL retirement, and, body permitting, turn out one final time.

Over the last two months, wherever he went, the fans followed. Whenever he walked out to bat, they gave a deafening roar. For them, it wasn’t the amount of runs he scored or number of sixes he hit but the presence which made their day and gave them memories for life. Memories they have accumulated ever since he started ruling their hearts in 2008 and then became an indispensable part of their life.

Dhoni’s bond with fans, and with Chennai as a whole, runs across generations. The kids, the youth, the middle-aged, the aged, it is consistent and hasn’t run into the barrier of culture, religion and language. The unorthodox brand of cricket he played helped but it’s the simplicity and conduct – both on and off the field – which sowed seeds for a long-lasting relationship. A relationship which is well and truly ageing like fine wine.

Over the last ten days, spread across Chennai and Ahmedabad, we spoke to numerous people who have a Dhoni story to tell. Be it the sports shop owner near Chepauk or the various staff members of the Crowne Plaza hotel or members of the powerful CSK Fan Army, it was first the simplicity which moved them and then the consistency in that simplicity which made them hold on to Dhoni for so long.

“I still remember that during one of the late-night order – for some cutlery and ice – Dhoni himself came down to pick the stuff when we got a bit late. He knew where the room service section was and he didn’t make the reminder call and instead himself came down. We were kind of taken aback when he did come down but then he said, ‘It’s okay, no big deal. I knew the way so thought not to disturb you,’” recalls a hospitality member of the Crowne Plaza hotel in Chennai where CSK stayed for close to a decade.

For them, seeing his room door open almost all the time was kind of surprising. The hotel has dealt with a lot of high-profile guests, and still do, but Dhoni has been one-of-a-kind who maintained the open-door policy and made it so comfortable for everyone around him.

“He stayed in one of the presidential suites – his favourite room. Why favourite because it was close to the team room on the same floor so access was easier for him. Then this room was big so had space where he could sit and chat with teammates and hold those mini-meetings. Very rarely did we see the room shut. It was like an open door policy where anyone could come in for a chat,” says Anand Nair, the General Manager of the Crowne Plaza hotel.

From the security person to the chef to the coffee guy, everyone had a Dhoni story which had simplicity as the common denominator. The simplicity which continues to drive thousands, and more, to the stadiums and keeps billions glued to their TV sets. As Super Fan Saravanan Hari, says in conversation with News18 CricketNext, everybody from six to sixty knows Dhoni.

“He’s become a part of our families. And everybody from six to sixty knows Dhoni. I feel there is an old prophecy that says ‘Vandhaarai Vaazhavaikum Tamizh Nadu’ (The land that nourishes those who arrive). Anyone who comes to our soil returns an esteemed person,” Saravanan had said.

Boy from Ranchi… Thala of Chennai

The boy from Ranchi made India dream big with his exploits on the field but the boy with long manes under the helmet was destined for greatness which knew no borders. No wonder the bikes-loving youngster became one of the most loved person in Chennai, and slowly rose to prominence as Thala!

Thala… is a leader. Someone who leads a group. Dhoni has always been a leader of the Indian cricket team and then the Chennai Super Kings but his journey of becoming Thala, and beyond, is a testament of the countless lives he has touched and influenced.

For that one Dhoni look, one Dhoni touch, fans have been ready to take it all. Be it travel thousand miles for that one glimpse or standing under the sun, and even in relentless rain which Ahmedabad witnessed during the final, the fans have gone the distance to write their Dhoni story.

Nabeel VP will definitely be amongst the leading few. The soft-spoken man from Kerala flew all the way to Shimla to meet his idol for a few minutes. For him, meeting the CSK skipper was a dream come true and the pat on the back from the idol, the action of the touch he still clearly remembers, was an incentive he will never forget.

“I took the Delhi flight ticket and waited at the boarding gates and that is when I saw him,” says Nabeel, “and told him ‘Mahi bhai, I’m coming from Kerala’ and then he asked, ‘You’re coming from Kerala?’ and I showed him some files of our work and at that moment I felt like I was in heaven.

“He said (patting my shoulders) ‘Keep up the good work’. Then I asked him for a photograph in that file. But he wanted to keep the file with him as a memory. I gave him my memento to be signed and then clicked a photo.”

Over three years after that memorable meeting, Nabeel remembers as if it happened yesterday and there was a distinct twinkle in his eyes when he narrated the entire incident.

‘I just want to touch Dhoni… ‘

Few years back, another lady did some sort of dare-devilry at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Chennai when she jumped over the human chain and security cover, in place for CSK’s arrival after the match, just to meet and “touch Dhoni”. The security personnel were shocked but when they were trying to pull her away from the CSK skipper, “rehne do, it’s fine” came a polite response from Dhoni which grew their love and respect for him.

“I still remember during one of the CSK team’s arrival after the game, there was a huge crowd. Many many people had assembled for the cake-cutting ceremony. Some were staying with us while some were from outside. We had proper security arrangements – human chain, police and other hotel security, including staff members – there are no intrusions. When the cake cutting was happening, one middle-aged lady took a few steps back, ran and jumped over the human chain. It took us by surprise. We couldn’t do much and when we tried to pull her away, Dhoni said ‘Rehne do, it’s fine’. When she was going away, she said I just wanted to touch Dhoni once. That’s it,” recalls a very old staff member of Crowne Plaza who has experienced numerous CSK stays at the hotel from close quarters.

The list goes on and on. Every man, woman and child has a Dhoni story. The story which ensured so much support in the stands that CSK fans outnumbered the hosts jerseys every single time. The fans ensured that the sea of yellow and chants of “Dhoni, Dhoni” are a constant and ensured that Dhoni isn’t done yet and will turn up one last time to give fans a gift for all they have sent his way, not only this edition but over the last 16 seasons (two of which were with Rising Pune Supergiants) of IPL.

“It will be more like a gift from my side, it’s not easy for me but that’s a gift. The way they’ve shown their love and affection, I think that’s something I need to do for them,” Dhoni said in the post-match presser of IPL 2023 final between CSK and Gujarat Titans on 29 May.

Now that they know, the roars will only get louder and the fans will leave no stone unturned in keeping the love affair going.