NEW DELHI: In a recent reflection on his YouTube channel, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin provided a vivid account of the electric atmosphere at the MA Chidambaram Stadium when MS Dhoni stepped out to bat during the Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) match against Mumbai Indians (MI) on Sunday.
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Ashwin, who returned to the CSK fold after a decade-long hiatus, was on the sidelines when Jadeja was dismissed in the 19th over, paving the way for Dhoni’s dramatic entrance. The moment Dhoni emerged from the dugout, the stadium erupted in a cacophony of cheers and chants, momentarily overshadowing the tense situation on the field.
“When MS Dhoni walked out to bat in Chennai, the noise was so overpowering that it felt like the whole stadium was vibrating. The fans’ love for him is unparalleled,” Ashwin reminisced. “It was a surreal experience; for the first time, I was witnessing this phenomenon from within the CSK dressing room, having only seen it from the outside in previous encounters.”
At the time, CSK were in a nail-biting situation, needing just four runs to win, yet the pressure from MI’s spinners was palpable. Ashwin, padded up and ready to bat next, shared the intensity of the moment. “I was padded up and ready to go in. I remember asking Ruturaj about the wicket because despite the chaos, we were still in the middle of a crucial game,” he added, underlining how Dhoni’s mere presence shifted the focus.
CSK will look to build on this momentum when they face Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the same venue on Friday, hoping for another electrifying performance from their beloved captain.