IPL 2019: CSK fan vs cricket journalist, seeking a balance

WPA00530. That’s the id that makes me a member of the WhistlePodu Army, the Chennai Super Kings fan club. The final phase of my teenage days and a few years after that were about arguing that “seven teams compete hard to meet a champion side, the Chennai Super Kings, in the IPL final”.

But then, one day - after five years of being a CSK fan and a part of the corporate world - I suddenly found myself walking into the club’s press conference with MS Dhoni the centre of attention. I was there representing the Deccan Chronicle. And Dhoni was at his witty best.

It took a little while for those ‘goosebumps moments’ to pass and then the journalist took over.

We, as reporters, probably have the best seat in the house for practice sessions - 50-metres away from Dhoni’s helicopter shots and I, a CSK fan, couldn’t have asked for more.

The sight of ‘gentle giant’ Jason Holder launching ball after ball into the vacant stands, Dwayne Smith swatting away balls that were chucked at him with brute force, Brendon McCullum’s energy, the Mahi helicopters, the charmer in ‘Chinna Thala’ Suresh Raina, the sight of ‘Mr Cricket’ Mike Hussey and his practice partner B Aparajith walking out together under lights, Stephen Fleming’s “consistency in selection and performances” theory, net bowlers running for cover, net bowlers becoming CSK players, selfie requests, running behind the media managers for interviews - these are the moments that strike me when I think of CSK practice sessions over the years.

But then the question is: “Am I a CSK fan or a journalist inside the press box?” I’m both!

2013. Kings XI Punjab vs CSK at Chepauk. It was a 4pm start and Chennai was ‘May’ hot. And talented allrounder R Sathish - a dashing Tamil Nadu batsman who could bowl all variations at a ‘Chris Harris pace’ and a gun fielder - in the Kings XI side.

From the press box, fan boy ‘Baggs’ was loving the fact that Raina was going guns blazing and Dhoni had just walked in.

Finisher Dhoni is a master at converting ones into twos and on that day he chose to take on the arm of Sathish. The latter delivered the ball, ran all the way towards the midwicket circle and fired in a bullet throw to send Dhoni back.

“Did I just see Dhoni beaten by a throw? When did this last happen? How could Sathish do it?” Silence. ‘Thala’ walked back. CSK fans were disappointed and I was one among them. But a few minutes later, I began to realise the magnitude of the throw. What an effort from Sathish, who had just made a comeback after a knee injury.

A day later, I reached out to Sathish and his views were registered. At the end of the day, cricket is the real winner, isn’t it?

2015. Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk. MI needed 30 off two overs and I was setting myself up for a CSK win both as a fan and as a journalist with my match report hinting at more Chennai domination at home.

My friends keep saying that I’m lucky to be enjoying the action from the press box. But reporters who have covered IPL matches would agree with me on the fact that filing reports on IPL thrillers at 11.40pm with the pressure of the deadline is tough.

The press box is then buzzing with reporters beating at laptop keyboards and confirming facts with the scorers. At Chepauk, CSK chants grow louder and louder when the Yellow Army are set for a big win. The noise is a cue for reporters, who have their heads buried in the laptop, on what’s happening.

It’s the 19th over and Pawan Negi is bowling to a rookie, Hardik Pandya. I have my head down in the laptop and suddenly the noise is hushed. Pandya had just hit two sixes!

I typed: “Pandya tried his best with a few lusty hits... ”

My #MindVoice: “CSK at Chepauk, can’t lose!”

Then comes a third six from Pandya.

I typed: “CSK overcame a Pandya scare… ”

CSK fan #MindVoice: “CSK at Chepauk, can’t lose!”

Ambati Rayudu then whacks a six off Negi and a four in the last over to silence Chepauk.

It’s the Mumbai Indians for the win and my match report has to be tossed. It was ‘remember the name’ stuff from Pandya.

CSK praises had to wait for another day. As a fan I was disappointed but as a reporter and a passionate lover of the sport I admired Mumbai’s fighting spirit and the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket.

IPL 2013. MI Vs CSK again.

Newspapers usually assign a ‘second reporter’ who will be at the venue to write feature stories and come up with analysis pieces, while the ‘first reporter’ focuses on the match.

I was the second reporter on this occasion. It’s the final over, and Munaf Patel is up against a raging Dhoni and I was thinking, “yet another Dhoni finish”.

Munaf to Dhoni - the ball sails over mid-wicket, sweetly struck and everyone thinks it’s a massive six. But an ‘8-foot’ Pollard leaps high and grabs it. Stunned, disbelief, disappointment.

In a matter of 10 minutes, I was in the elevator going down for the press conference. I rehearsed my questions - “What went wrong for you guys? Could Dhoni have…” Results do matter, at times.

2013/2016/2017: Tough times for CSK fans and for journalists who were reporting on the entire saga. Like millions of fans, I was disappointed that CSK wasn’t going to be part of IPL. But I tried to understand what had transpired and did my best to report on the events as and when needed for my then organisations (Deccan Chronicle and Times of India). I reported on ‘No CSK, No IPL’ chants from CSK fans as well as matters related to associations and boards. In the end, I knew CSK would be back in 2018.

Nearly 10,000 fans were out there chanting Dhoni, Dhoni, Dhoni… Again, I had the best seat. But was it the same old CSK? The players were almost the same, but what about the results? CSK were tagged ‘Dad’s Army’.

2018. MI vs CSK. It’s the season opener and, seemingly, the CSK of old had not turned up. 82 needed off 42 balls and just Dwayne Bravo left for the fight. Mumbai were certainly favourites and it looked as if social media was right - ‘Dad’s Army’.

But, deep down in my heart, most CSK fans and I had this feeling of ‘just CSK things’ still left in the game. Despite preparing myself for a Mumbai win for my organisation’s desk, I went on to post: “#KeepCalm and #BeliveInBravo. Is there a #ChampionDance still left for the night?”

Another tussle between fan and journalist. People around me kept stating ‘CSK will lose’.

As always, social media jumped on it. After 30 minutes, Bravo CSK! How about that for taking down the world’s best death bowler, Jasprit Bumrah? Dad’s Army had turned Dhoni’s Army and CSK went on to win the title on return.

There are many, many cricket journalists who must have gone through such moments as I had - Bengal reporters rooting for KKR, Mumbai scribes backing Mumbai, #EeSaalaCupNamde… the banters inside press boxes. Home and away. The next 45 days will once again witness many more such moments.

Maybe, I repeat maybe, only the selfie requests separate the fan from the journalist.

When it comes to the Indian cricket team, well.. it's the same story from the beginning.