NEW DELHI: MS Dhoni's fan following is nothing short of a phenomenon in the world of cricket. Whenever the legend makes his way to the middle, the atmosphere electrifies with anticipation. As Dhoni takes guard, the excitement reaches a crescendo. Every stroke of his bat is met with thunderous applause, every boundary and six greeted with fervent chants of adulation.
Dhoni's former CSK teammate and ex-India cricketer Ambati Rayudu feels Chennai Super Kings fans belong to the 2011 World Cup-winning captain.
"Even when you hit a six and a four the crowd is silent, me and Jadeja felt that in the last few years. I really believe when I say this, that CSK fans are MS Dhoni fans first, and CSK fans later. Even Jadeja gets frustrated, but he cannot do anything," Rayudu said on Star Sports.
In a highly anticipated showdown against the Rajasthan Royals, the Chennai Super Kings secured a pivotal victory on Sunday.
1/10:Chennai Super Kings beat Rajasthan Royals to boost IPL play-off hopes
AP
2/10:CSK at third!
<p>Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad's unbeaten 42 and three wickets by Simarjeet Singh helped title holders Chennai Super Kings move closer to an IPL play-off spot with a win over Rajasthan Royals on Sunday.<br /></p>AP
3/10:Scratchy win for hosts
<p>Five-time champions Chennai restricted Rajasthan to 141 for 5, a total they overhauled with five wickets and 10 balls to spare in their last home game at MA Chidambaram Stadium.<br /></p>AFP
4/10:A big boost to play-off hopes
<p>Chennai moved to 14 points and third place with seven wins in 13 matches. Sunrisers Hyderabad, also on 14, slipped to fourth, while Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants remain close with 12 points each.<br /></p>AFP
5/10:Royals sit at second spot
<p>Rajasthan remain second in the 10-team table led by Kolkata Knight Riders, who are the only team to have already qualified for the play-offs. The top four teams will make the play-offs with the final on May 26 in Chennai.<br /></p>PTI
6/10:Solid Gaikwad
<p>Gaikwad anchored Chennai's tricky chase as they lost wickets at regular intervals including when Ravindra Jadeja was called out for obstructing the field.<br /></p>AFP
7/10:The unfortunate Jadeja dismissal
<p>Jadeja was sent back by Gaikwad while attempting a second run and he changed direction on the pitch when the throw from wicketkeeper Samson hit his hand and the third umpire ruled him out after an appeal from the opposition.<br /></p>AP
8/10:Gaikwad show
<p>Gaikwad kept his cool and put on an unbeaten 24-run stand with impact substitute Sameer Rizvi, who hit the winning boundary. Gaikwad is second in the season batting chart behind Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli (634) with 583 runs including one century and four half-tons.<br /></p>IANS
9/10:Simarjeet stars with ball
<p>Earlier disciplined bowling kept Rajasthan down to a below par total on a slow pitch as Simarjeet Singh returned figures of 3-26 and fellow medium-pace bowler Tushar Deshpande took two wickets.<br /></p>AFP
10/10:Parag continues to shine
<p>Riyan Parag top-scored for Rajasthan with an unbeaten 47. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made 24, and Jos Buttler, who made 21, started cautiously but the innings suffered from a lack of partnerships. <br /></p>PTIThe Yellow Brigade rose to the occasion, orchestrating a commanding five-wicket win, thereby keeping their aspirations for a spot in the IPL playoffs alive and kicking.
Following this triumph, CSK ascended to the third position on the points table, bolstering their standing in the fiercely contested tournament.
Post-match, emotions soared at the MA Chidambaram Stadium as fans reveled in witnessing the heartwarming reunion between their revered 'Thala' Dhoni and his former teammate Suresh Raina, affectionately dubbed 'Chinna Thala' by supporters.
CSK commemorated their triumph with a celebratory lap around the hallowed Chepauk Stadium. Amidst the jubilant atmosphere, cricket stalwarts Dhoni and Raina embraced, spreading joy among fans as they distributed tennis balls using racquets as memorabilia.
Despite being the defending champions, CSK, who concluded their final group fixture at the Chennai stronghold, are still striving to secure their berth in the playoffs, adding an extra layer of suspense to their campaign.
