Cricket fans in Chennai are knowledgable. At the same time, they are so passionate about the game and also love their favourite cricketer to the fullest. Fans' love for their 'thala' MS Dhoni, especially in Chennai, is at such level that they end up celebrating the wicket of their team (CSK) with an anticipation to watch Dhoni bat. Former India cricketer Ambati Rayudu pointed out the same stating that such a situation could be daunting for other players in the line-up.
However, he also realised that nothing could be done about this as Dhoni's fandom is as good as Sachin's. Around a decade or more ago, the fans in India used to chant Sachin's name in unison whenever he used to bat in the middle. The same is happening with Dhoni. But with IPL booming at the same time, the fan following has grown manifold for the CSK veteran. But Rayudu reckons that fans celebrating Dhoni only might be discouraging to the other players in the team as they also work hard to help the team win the match.
"It is quite daunting if you're a newcomer. It's quite loud. The support is phenomenal. But, as you go on and play, then you realise they are MS Dhoni fans before they are CSK fans. It is quite evident, and rightly so, because that's the way the team has been set up and built over the years. He's rightly named Thala [leader] and he has been calling the shots in CSK, and it's come to a stage where people are madly in awe and in love of what he's done for CSK,” Rayudu said while speaking to ESPNCricinfo.He compared Dhoni’s fandom to Sachin Tendulkar’s a decade ago when the crowd used to chant the latter’s name when he walked out to bat. India found star players in Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after Sachin retired. But what about CSK after Dhoni? This is where Rayudu feels the franchise will be hurt when Dhoni eventually calls it a day from the sport.
"It's been happening for quite a few years now, and quite a few players have felt it over the years, you know, if not come out openly and said something about it, but internally, a lot of people used to feel that the crowd… even though we also love MS Dhoni, and they also love MS Dhoni and we want to see him bat, but sometimes when you, as an individual, are going out to bat they are shouting from the crowd to… literally asking you to get out. Or they are anticipating or expecting you to get out.
"So it is quite strange, and I don't think it actually serves the game well to be very honest. All the [other] players are giving their best for the team as well. They are also preparing and doing really well for the franchise, and they have put in a lot of sacrifice to be where they are. When things like that happen from their own crowd, it is, I feel, maybe it can be avoided," Rayudu added.