Year 2010: Pre-cursor to IPL title repeat- The CLT20 Champions
(Year:2010) The IPL, which was still rather nascent despite its enormous success, had already produced a Champions League T20 winner before the fixtures for its fourth edition could be drawn up.
CSK qualified as one of three sides from India, alongside MI and RCB, to the elite tournament in which T20 franchises from across the globe came face-to-face to challenge for laurels beyond that of the nations they hailed from.
Chennai had earned the right to be one of the nation’s representatives in the inaugural edition of the CLT20 after having finished as runners-up in the first-ever IPL campaign, but the tournament was scrapped as a result of the Mumbai attacks that sent shockwaves across the world barely a month ahead of the opening game of the CLT20.
Stay updated with the latest from IPL 2024, including top contenders for the IPL 2024 Orange Cap and IPL 2024 Purple Cap. Explore the complete IPL 2024 Schedule, IPL 2024 Points Table and players with the Most Sixes, Most Fours and Most Fifties in IPL 2024
Despite making the semi-finals in the second season of the IPL, the Dhoni-led side did not make the cut for the CLT20 in the year 2009 as then champions DC, DD and RCB, who finished top three at the end of the group stages of the domestic tournament earned the right to play in the international club event. While Deccan were shown the exit door in the primary stages of the tournament, RCB and DD went on to the second phase of the event, before being dispatched rather unceremoniously in the second stage before the knockouts.
And hence as it stood, no Indian side had made it to the knockouts of the CLT20. That is before Dhoni and his boys threw their hats in the ring.
The 2010 edition of the CLT20 was slated to take place in South Africa as Thala led his side to the global tournament in style fresh off their maiden IPL title.
This time out, the format of the tournament was amended and made into a rather conventional group-cum-knockout event as 10 teams from across the world were split into two groups with the top two in each pool progressing to the knockouts. Chennai was the lone Indian entry in Group A, while Mumbai and Bangalore had each other for company in Group B.
CSK opened the tournament with a fixture against Kiwi side Central District Stags and came out on top in their first assignment by a massive 57-run margin. With the campaign off to a mammoth start, the side from TN took on Sri Lankan team Wayamba Eleven, who were convincingly beaten by just shy of a hundred runs.
Chennai suffered their only defeat in the tournament at the hands of Victorian Bushranrangers in an excruciating manner as they went down to the Australian unit in a super over. The loss, however, did not hamper Dhoni and Co. as they looked unfazed by the setback in a 10-run win over South African side Warriors.
MSD’s contingent finished Group A at the top of the standings, setting up a clash against the second-placed side in Group B, which turned out to be RCB. A charged ‘Kaveri-derby’ was on offer at Durban, but ironically, the game was marred by rains and the winner had to be decided on the much-dreaded Duckwort-Lewis method.
The fixture was reduced to a 17-over-a-side affair as CSK opted to bat first following the coin toss. It was ‘Chinna Thala’ Raina who stood out for the IPL champions against their noisy neighbours with an unbeaten 94-run knock, an absolute feast for the eye. The left-handed maverick took less than 50 balls to bring up the score to propel CSK to a total of 174 runs.
Raina, who thoroughly deserved a ton on the day, did not get to the triple-digit mark but would have lost no sleep over it as his splendid knock was enough to put up the score that the CSK bowling unit defended in extraordinary fashion to limit RCB to 123/9 in their 17 over quota.
Another tournament, another final appearance. Reaching the finals had become second nature to Chennai.
CSK were up against the Warriors in the championship clash and the partisan crowd got behind their representative against the Indian champions. The Warriors, seeing vengeance for their group stage defeat at the hands of the yellow army, opted to put CSK to field first looking to bat the tourists out of the game.
However, the home side’s decision proved profligate as they were restricted to 128/6 thanks to the spin mastery of Ashwin and Muralitharan, who finished the campaign as the top-two wicket takers with 13 and 12 scalps respectively.
The men in yellow chased down the target with very little fuss as Murali Vijay, who ended the tournament as the top-scorer with nearly 300 runs, brought up a 53-ball 58-run knock in front of the 30,000 strong crowd at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.
Another one for the history books as Thala had yet again managed to lead his team to ultimate glory and let the young cubs, who had shown signs of coming of age celebrate at the forefront while he flashed his trademark grin all the way from the back of the huddle.
The sight was starting to look rather commonplace now.
After a commanding win on home soil, CSK continued their winning form in the African continent as the lads from Madras stamped their authority over the international event, dominating with the willow and the leather.
The year 2011: Another World Cup Winner from Chennai
“Had a point to prove, not to others, but to myself more than anybody else.”
-Mahendra Singh Dhoni, World Cup Winning Captain
To add a coat of sheen to the glittery aura surrounding the champions, Madras had a new World Cup winner, and this time it was the skipper himself who had spearheaded the men in blue to the pinnacle of ODI cricket with his historic six at the Wankhede.
No Indian was able to get their hands on the coveted ICC prize since ‘Haryana Hurricane’ Kapil Paaji had put India on the world map with the watershed 1983 win in England. Despite the embarrassment of riches through the ages, the WC trophy proved a touch too much for the national side that boasted the likes of some of the best players in the history of the game.
Sourav Dada came close in the year 2007 but fell short in the final hurdle as the Aussies stood tall on the podium in South Africa thanks to Ricky Ponting’s final masterclass.
As the ghosts of World Cups past shrouded the Indian populace with multiple layers of doubts and flashbacks when Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga messed up the top order in the championship clash in Mumbai, out came MSD to alter the course of history.
Having promoted himself up the order, akin to the innings against Punjab nearly a year back, he came out to bat ahead of Yuvraj Singh to steady the faltering Indian innings.
And steady it he did. Gambir’s crucial 97-run knock was stood up by Dhoni’s unbeaten 91-run innings as he polished off things by carrying India to the promised land with a huge six. Yet again, over the cow corner, with a trademark helicopter shot and a swivel of the bat to follow before the ball could touchdown in the stands.
Our skipper had done it. He had brought back glory to the nation after nearly three decades of anguish, agony and antsy wait.
Images of the skipper sending the pride-clincher over the top were soon replaced by the captain dressed in a suit and flashing his newly tonsured head, in honour of the successful prayers that helped India reach sweet success. The charismatic grim was even more visible for everyone to see as he held up the grandest prize of all alongside his man of the match miniature from the championship clash.
The man had proven his point and made sure it resonated everywhere across the sprawling nation.
(… continued from CSK Chronicles: MS Dhoni- The Wanderer Who Found Home in Madras ( https://www.news18.com/cricket/ms-dhoni-ipl-2024-captain-legend-retirement-chennai-ruturaj-gaikwad-8823928.html )
Comments
0 comment