The Dhoni-CSK Bond: A Bond Like No Other
The most beautiful thing about sport is its ability to create relationships. Think of some of the most familiar relationships that sport has thrown up- Rafael Nadal and the French Open, The Undertaker and WrestleMania, Roger Federer and Wimbledon, and you can go on and on.
One such relationship that has defined the Indian Premier League in the last decade is that of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and the Chennai Super Kings. The two have almost become inseparable. It is almost impossible imagine one without the other.
Dhoni has struck a chord with the CSK outfit, and the people from Chennai have come out and just poured out their love unconditionally for their Mahi. He has undoubtedly become the sporting ‘Thala’ of the city.
Right from the time Dhoni was picked up by the CSK franchise in the year 2008, the fans have lapped up their hero. The three-time IPL winning captain himself gets lighted up when he talks about his association with the Chennai Super Kings.
No cricketer in the history of the IPL has mattered so much to a particular franchise as much as Dhoni has to CSK. And that is why even Dhoni, a man who is celebrated for his equanimity, will silently agree that his association with the Chennai Super Kings is extremely close to his heart.
One thing that has endeared fans to Dhoni has been the inaccessibility. Yes! It might sound paradoxical, but the more you see Dhoni, the more inaccessible he seems to get. And that is why, even his staunchest worshipper cannot predict his next move. This inaccessibility has added an aura to the Dhoni phenomenon and made fans crave to know more about their hero.
With every passing year, the bond between Dhoni and Chennai has only thickened. And, after CSK returned after a two-year hiatus, the bond between the two has strengthened further.
Now, with the former India skipper in the twilight of his illustrious career, fans will get to bask in the last few rays left from the luminous aura of Dhoni. And, it would not be an exaggeration to say that when Dhoni retires from the IPL, CSK will lose a huge chunk of its fan base.
The IPL has never seen a bond so intimate like the Dhoni-CSK bond, and it is highly unlikely that such a bond will be recreated again in the near future.