"Felt like we had won the World Cup" - Harbhajan Singh on support from CSK fans after the team's return in 2018
Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh recently opened up on his time with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2018 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
He mentioned that he was overwhelmed with the love and support the team received from Chennai fans. Harbhajan emphasized that everyone was very excited, given that CSK were returning to the competition after a two-year absence.
The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that people turned up in huge numbers when the team took a bus ride to Chepauk for the first time ahead of the season. He suggested that it felt as if they had won the World Cup.
Speaking to Star Sports, Harbhajan said:
"A lot of emotions were involved. I still remember the bus ride when we went to Chepauk. The crowd was so big that it felt like we had already won the trophy. There was a sense of joy as Chennai Super Kings were set to return to the competition.
"The love that we received from the fans was unbelievable. It felt like we had won the World Cup, and the tournament hadn't even started at that point. That's when I realized that these fans are very different."
The fans of the IPL are second to none! 😍
Veterans @harbhajan_singh & @ImranTahirSA go #DownMemoryLane & reminisce the 2018 victory with @ChennaiIPL and the fans' sentiments on the team's return after 2 years. 🥹💛
Tune-in to #IPLonStar LIVE every day!
#GameOn #BetterTogether https://t.co/WYe5hK2ioH
After being a part of the Mumbai Indians (MI) for 10 years, Harbhajan was roped in by CSK for ₹2 crore at the auction ahead of the 2018 season. The seasoned campaigner bagged seven scalps from 13 games and finished with an economy rate of 8.48.
The MS Dhoni-led side made a fantastic comeback to the IPL, clinching their third championship. CSK trumped Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by eight wickets, chasing down a target of 179 in the summit clash.
"Dad's army showed kids how cricket is played" - Harbhajan Singh on CSK winning the IPL in 2018
Harbhajan Singh further stated that many fans had questioned the Chennai team management's decision to sign a number of aging cricketers at the auction for the 2018 season.
He remarked that while the side were given the title of 'Dad's army', they set an example for others by winning the tournament:
"Everyone called us Dad's Army, wondering what kind of team CSK have made. Imran Tahir and I were 38 years old and MS Dhoni was also close to our age. Then there were the likes of Shane Watson. But Dad's Army showed kids how cricket is played. T20 cricket is all about experience."
South African leg spinner Imran Tahir, who was also a part of the discussion, spoke about his experience of being a part of CSK. He recalled that close to 25 thousand people would show up in the stadium just to see the team's practice session.
Tahir said:
"Those memories are very special to me. I didn't expect to see 25 thousand people turn up for a practice session. Everyone was chanting for MS Dhoni. I was taken aback seeing all that."
Meanwhile, MS Dhoni and Co. are off to an impressive start in the ongoing IPL 2023. With four wins from six games, they are currently placed third in the points table at this juncture.