2 months ago
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It was a sweltering time successful the metropolis with the mercury rising to uncomfortable levels. However, it wasn’t capable to deter astir 23,000 passionate fans from raising the fever transportation astatine the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium connected Sunday (March 22, 2026) arsenic they welcomed the aged and existent stars of the Chennai Super Kings successful a glitzy event.
The five-time champion took a travel down representation lane and acceptable the shot rolling for the 2026 play of the IPL with a monolithic instrumentality lawsuit titled ‘Roar 2026.’
Alongside the existent squad, 14 erstwhile players who sported the yellowish jersey rekindled fond memories of the franchise’s aboriginal years and the IPL, and were fixed a rapturous welcome.
Parthiv Patel, L. Balaji, Shadab Jakati, Harbhajan Singh, Joginder Sharma, S. Anirudha, S. Badrinath, M. Vijay, Muttiah Muralitharan, Michael Hussey, Matthew Hayden, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo and Suresh Raina were the ‘OGs’ present.
The biggest roar, unsurprisingly, was reserved for M.S. Dhoni, the 1 idiosyncratic who remains the fulcrum of the broadside and the span betwixt the past and present.
While the country of Dhoni receiving a thunderous reception is par for the people astatine Chepauk, Sunday offered a glimpse of what could unfold this twelvemonth erstwhile different wicket-keeper batter and presently the toast of the federation walks connected this hallowed turf sporting the yellowish jersey. Fans got their archetypal glimpse of Sanju Samson, CSK’s newest enlistee astatine this venue, and the Player of the Tournament successful the precocious concluded ICC T20 World Cup, who promised to instrumentality the IPL trophy to Chennai.
“It was a goosebumps moment. Winning the World Cup for the state is thing I had dreamed of for galore years. I’m gladsome I was capable to contribute. Now, I’m excited and looking guardant to the adjacent mates of months successful the IPL with my caller team, CSK. My attack would beryllium elemental — spot the shot and deed the ball. I volition look to deed a batch of sixes. We volition assistance the trophy,” said Samson.
Earlier successful the evening, the OGs took connected members of the existent squad successful an implicit of one-on-one duels with the situation to deed astatine slightest 3 boundaries. Michael Hussey faced disconnected against Ruturaj Gaikwad, who sent down immoderate gentle off-breaks; Samson took connected erstwhile Sri Lankan fable Muttiah Muralitharan portion Raina batted against Noor Ahmad.
Later successful the evening, the erstwhile players brought retired CSK’s 7 trophies and displayed them connected the stage.
In a archetypal for the franchise, Hayden and Raina were the archetypal 2 to beryllium inducted into its Hall of Fame. Hayden was a cardinal subordinate of the team’s archetypal IPL rubric successful 2010. Raina was progressive successful 4 IPL titles (2010, 2011, 2018 & 2021) and 2 Champions League titles (2010 & 2014).
The evening came to a adjacent with a euphony performance by 1 of the city’s icons and two-time Academy Award-winning composer A.R. Rahman.
