The eighth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to begin on Wednesday, and Chennaiites are excited as ever to watch the men in yellow.
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team began practising at the Chepauk nets from Monday evening.
No controversy or World Cup performance can dampen the spirits of CSK fans, they say. “CSK will definitely win this time. Dhoni is our plus point,” says Ricardo.
What may come as a surprise is the sight of elderly men waiting under the hot sun to buy tickets. “These days, youngsters prefer T20 matches over Test cricket. Everything is becoming so fast these days. We too must move with the times,” says Triplicane resident Lakshminarayanan, who is eager to see Brendon McCullum on the field.
The sale of tickets at Chepauk began at 9.30 a.m. on Monday, and there has been good response, say the security guards at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.
The question of using the I, J and K stands still remains unanswered, but there is always the rest of the stadium.
“IPL is all about enjoyment. Dhoni, we want the championship,” shouts Deva, who has come with a bunch of friends to buy tickets.
His friend Ram Kumar feels the CSK team compilation is excellent this time. “We have Irfan Pathan now and Mike Hussey is back. It’s all good for us,” he says.
But not everybody is as enthused over the tournament. “I’m not as excited as I used to be. Something crept into the game by the sixth season and since then, it’s not been about the sport anymore. But, CSK players are fair and hardworking and that’s why I’m still passionate about CSK,” says software professional Sudarshan.
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Source: thehindu.com
