Chennai crowd is Dhoni’s fan before it is CSK’s fan, It is daunting for other players, says Rayudu

MS Dhoni has an unparalleled fan following even half a decade after his retirement from international cricket. Affectionately called ‘Thala’ (leader) by his fans, the Chepauk crowd is mad about Dhoni. It can be quite daunting for other players, says former CSK batter Ambati Rayudu.

“It’s been happening for quite a few years now, and quite a few players have felt it over the years, you know, if not come out openly and said something about it, but internally, a lot of people used to feel that the crowd… even though we also love MS Dhoni, and they also love MS Dhoni and we want to see him bat, but sometimes when you, as an individual, are going out to bat they are shouting from the crowd to… literally asking you to get out. Or they are anticipating or expecting you to get out.

Rayudu has come out and said that it is quite strange that the passion among the fans is more about MS Dhoni than about the team. Whenever CSK bats, people wait for Dhoni to come out. A wicket falls, and it is almost like a countdown for Dhoni’s batting. Rayudu said on ESPNcricinfo that for a newcomer, it is a challenging experience.

“It’s quite loud. The support is phenomenal. But, as you go on and play, then you realise they are MS Dhoni fans before they are CSK fans. It is quite evident, and rightly so, because that’s the way the team has been set up and built over the years. He’s rightly named Thala [leader] and he has been calling the shots in CSK, and it’s come to a stage where people are madly in awe and in love of what he’s done for CSK.”

Rayudu said that it is unfair to other players who give their best for the team too. All the [other] players are giving their best for the team as well. They are also preparing and doing really well for the franchise, and they have put in a lot of sacrifice to be where they are. When things like that happen from their own crowd, it is, I feel, maybe it can be avoided.”

“I don’t know if MS Dhoni will ever address that. He has not addressed that in the past as well. I don’t know if it’s the right thing to do for him as well. Because all of them are rooting for the franchise as well, eventually.”

Rayudu said that it is going to be a challenge for the franchise too, when Dhoni leaves. “It will be quite challenging. Not only for the players or Chennai, but definitely for the franchise itself, because for them to [attract] crowds like that, especially even on weekdays – the stands are full, the engagement is amazing; there is no cricketer close to him, to be honest,” Rayudu said. “They have not built up any other guy in the franchise to pull the crowds, because it has always revolved around MS Dhoni.

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