Kamal Ghorui
CHENNAI: The MA Chidambaram Stadium turned back time on Sunday as the legendary heroes from Chennai Super Kings’ past walked into the stadium in a first-of-its-kind ‘Roar’ event for the fans.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The OGs, the men who built CSK’s legacy — Suresh Raina, Muttiah Muralitharan, Michael Hussey, Matthew Hayden, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo — among others — slipped back into their vintage yellow jerseys and played an exhibition match against the current squad. The OGs got the better of the newbies with ease as the 28,000-odd crowd erupted into roars.
The star of the show, though, was Sanju Samson, for whom this will be his debut CSK season. Huge cheers were in store for him and the T20 World Cup winner assured that he will try and help the team lift the trophy.“Really happy and grateful to be a part of such a great franchise and team. It was a goosebumps moment. Winning the World Cup for the country is something I had dreamed of for many years. I’m glad I was able to contribute. Now, I’m excited and looking forward to the next couple of months in the IPL with my new team, CSK. My approach would be simple — see the ball and hit the ball. I will look to hit a lot of sixes,” said the wicket-keeper batter.Samson’s ‘duel’ with Sri Lankan great spinner Muralitharan also saw the loudest cheers of the evening. First, Samson politely played four dot balls to show respect. At one point, he stepped out looking to go big, missed, and MS Dhoni chose not to whip off the bails, a moment that drew smiles all around. However, Samson finished in style, striking two eyepleasing boundaries.As the crowd sang, “Twinkle, twinkle, little star, Sanju is a superstar”, CSK’s ‘Chinna Thala’ Raina said that Samson’s inclusion will be a major boost for CSK. “I want them to win the title this time. The team looks very strong. Sanju is back here (after the World Cup), and there are a lot of youngsters who will learn from MS Dhoni and go on to get the trophy. I hope the fans continue supporting CSK like they always have,” Raina said.CSK also inducted Raina and Hayden into their first-ever Hall of Fame.
