TNPL: Dhoni makes surprise visit to ‘thank’ CSK fans

The Chennai Super Kings captain is in Tirunelveli to "personally come and congratulate the fans."

Published : Aug 04, 2018 21:12 IST

M. S. Dhoni shakes hands with the Madurai Panthers captain before the toss.

It was a great surprise for the boisterous crowd here when M. S. Dhoni walked on to the ground before Saturday’s Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) match. While Dhoni at a TNPL event is something that has become customary since the league’s inception, it is the first time Dhoni has come outside of Chennai.

Read: Arun Karthik credits Panthers' ascendancy to a cordial atmosphere

Dhoni called it a special place saying, “It is where India Cements started and I have been with them for a long time so it is a good opportunity to see the company’s first plant.”

Speaking on Chennai Super Kings’ remarkable comeback into the Indian Premier League (IPL) this season, Dhoni said, “It was a big year for us. There were lot of questions about selections and how most of them were over 30. Frankly I didn’t realise that. Everything was a challenge for us but the players took the responsibility and played as a team. Overall, it was the perfect comeback. It couldn't have been better.”

‘Perfect time’

“Also it is the perfect time to personally come and congratulate the fans. CSK has some die-hard fans, especially in this part of the country. So it is a good time to thank them for they have been supporting us even when we were not part of the IPL for two years,” he added.