CHENNAI: The Indian Premier League is about uniqueness. It was turn of the Chennai Super Kings to add to that list on Thursday morning, when a special train carrying fans left Chennai Central. The destination is Pune and purpose to root for the team in Friday’s ‘home’ game against Rajasthan Royals.
Displaced from MA Chidambaram Stadium following protests in the Cauvery crisis, the franchise run by India Cements has decided to try the best possible alternative. That is to create some atmosphere of familiarity at the MCA Stadium in the outskirts of Maharashtra’s cultural capital, where they will play six of their remaining ‘home’ games. The management is bearing the cost of everything for 1000 travelling fans. This includes transport in Pune, match tickets and jerseys. Similar plans for the future are in the pipeline.
This is a first of its kind in 11 years of IPL. The concept of a franchise ferrying fans was so far restricted to flying out the select. The number seldom or almost never exceeded a few dozens, depending on economics and the team’s fortunes in the tournament. This crew consisted mostly of invited celebrities, employees, professional associates, sometimes family and friends. CSK was one of the teams that travelled with a small group of familiar faces.
What makes this initiative stand out is the number of fans who have opted to make the trip despite there being two weekdays. Starting a 20-hour journey on Thursday, they will reach Pune on Friday morning and depart for Chennai a day later. In the past, no team came close to the 1000 that boarded the chartered train scheduled in special arrangement with Southern Railway. It has 13 3-tier sleeper coaches plus an air-conditioned one. “CSK wishes to organise similarly for all its home games in Pune for fans from Chennai to travel... subject to availability of trains,” said a statement from the franchise. It added that Mr Rakesh Singh, Executive President of India Cements Ltd, flagged off the “inaugural journey”.
The situation has a lot to do with this. CSK are placed fourth with two wins in three matches. Back in the competition after serving a two-year ban, they had fans turning up in thousands even for practice. A warm-up match among the squad members drew over 10,000. Entry to MAC Stadium was free on those occasions, but the craving for IPL and CSK among the diehards was unmistakable. There was severe demand for the only game CSK played at their venue on April 10 amid protests and demonstrations around the stadium, which prompted the BCCI to shift the matches after state authorities refused to assure security.
There are several instances in the IPL of teams playing ‘home’ games in other centres. Other than court orders and local logistical problems, the BCCI has also as policy advocated teams playing one or two of their seven home games at smaller centres to broaden IPL’s reach and ensure that everyone gets a share of the pie. CSK too has had its share of such fixtures. It’s perhaps a combination of the management’s decision to make up for the home atmosphere lost and give something back to their committed fans that has caused this step.
Who knows, maybe a trend has been set!