Dhoni-led CSK returns to action after two years and is set to rock with season opener against holders MI
The preparations had begun a year back. 'Whitsle Podu', the anthem, was being played even as Rising Pune Supergiants played their first final against Mumbai Indians in Hyderabad during Indian Premier League 2017.
Players stepping on to the field with their ultra bright jersey was just a formality.
Come season 11 of the Indian Premier League on Saturday, much awaited 'Thala' Mahendra Singh Dhoni is back and the Yellow Fever is on.
After a forced hiatus of two years, Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings have returned and are all geared to rock the IPL. And what more can one ask for than a mouth-watering game against defending champions and hosts Mumbai Indians on their resurrection day at the Wankhede Stadium.
"I think we've prepared well. Just a lot of nerves around but no more than normal. Players want to get into it and we've had the best part of 12 days leading into the competition so the feeling is one of we're ready to play," said CSK coach Stephen Fleming, on team's return after two year suspension, on the eve of the match.
Chennai along with Rajasthan Royals were suspended over allegations of betting and spot-fixing scandals in 2013.
Asked if there were any scars left from whatever happened in last two years, the former New Zealand skipper said, "It doesn't have an influence on the players. Players didn't do anything to be scarred from, so there's no scars there."
Even as Chennai practiced on the eve of the big game at the Wankhede, there were the familiar CSK faces in Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo, apart from leader Dhoni along with some new ones like Harbhajan Singh, Shane Watson, Kedar Jadhav, Imran Tahir.
Fleming said the team was happy with the lot that they bid for during the auction. "One of the aspects we looked at in the auction was the workload of the international teams in the play up. We've looked at worst case scenarios and some of those for other teams have happened. So, I guess from a personal point of view, we're happy that all our squad is reasonably fit. Faf's (du Plessis) carrying a bit of battle scars from South Africa but apart from that everyone looks pretty good."
The CSK outfit may have nostalgia along with many old warhorses, Fleming said that if it did not work, they can fall back on another plan.
"There's always a Plan B. The notion that we bought an old side on day one of the auction was right. Day two was filled with a lot of young players. I value experience, we always have and if the professional player is in shape and performing well, I think they're a valuable asset."
"I'm not sure when a young player came out and was the top run-scorer. Rashid Khan – you get some exceptions, Washington Sundar, but there's only a handful whereas experienced players play major parts in the whole tournament so that's why I value experience. There's also about the quality of player, like Bravo is still competing well, Watson's competing well, Harbhajan has a great skillset, Dhoni is a fine leader. So the players we've picked, I don't think they're spent by any means," he added.
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