MA Chidambaram Stadium, beyond every IPL game featuring Chennai Super Kings at Victoria Hostel Road, is clocked in the yellow sea, connecting the stadium to the Chepack train station. The road sees an attractive mixture of people-Kaliner M for the elite wearing clothes in good way. Karunanidhi stand, and middle -class mass quickly queuing as 4:30 pm, eager to enter before the construction of the crowd.
For the game against Kolkata Knight Riders, there was an additional discussion despite the poor start of CSK in the 2025 season. MS Dhoni, the most successful captain of the team and adopted son of Chennai, returned to lead the side.
A few hours before the match, the diary visited the hostel road to capture the mood before Dhoni’s return as a skipper. From middle -aged fans to groups of children showing their cricket knowledge, the mixture was lively and entertaining.
“The entire season would return as a captain with Dhoni,” a yellow fan shouted as he saw the diary with a microphone.
Some fans, however, were less keen to participate. A young woman, ducking under the camera frame, said, “Ayyo Anna! Inga Vathathu Vetla Theiadu (Oh Bhai! My family doesn’t know that I am here).”
After 181 balls, the mood had changed. Fans were fuiling, ranting for local news channels, and some started leaving KKR even before starting a small 104 chase. Dhoni’s return to the captaincy did not work, but with Tala, there was never an expectation for a change.
Aneesh Pathiil
Strong start
Punjab Kings have been a part of the IPL since its inception, but still winning a title. For most sessions, the team hovering around the middle-table, reaching the finals only once in 2014, where it lost to KKR. This year, however, it has started strong with five out of eight wins, playing entertaining cricket under the new captain Shres Iyer.
The diary notes that like RCB fans, Punjab Kings supporters remain loyal as long as the team keeps things exciting – or not.
This year, as the diary had moved to the newly built Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium in New Chandigarh, Hawa was full of anticipation among domestic supporters in Punjab Jersey.
Fans of Punjab filled the stadium with energy as their team won a nervous victory against Kolkata Knight Riders. , Photo Credit: Reuters
Fans of Punjab filled the stadium with energy as their team won a nervous victory against Kolkata Knight Riders. , Photo Credit: Reuters
Even KKR’s star-staded lineup is characterized by Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane, and local boy Ramandip Singh, the crowd kept focusing on the young Punjab, cheering for every limit for every limit and became silent after each wicket.
When PBK was excluded for 111, the atmosphere changed. The stadium roared as Punjab bowlers. And when Marco Jansen took the final wicket, the fans exploded in the ecstasy.
Sahil Mathur
One
Inadequate facilities at the Cricket Stadium in Jaipur saw the Dronechry Award winners from a distance- not at all. , Photo Credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
Inadequate facilities at the Cricket Stadium in Jaipur saw the Dronechry Award winners from a distance- not at all. , Photo Credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
Empty chairs on the roofs of the RCA Academy and Sports Building were noticeable at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium before the Rajasthan Royals game against Lucknow super veterans. In response to the increasing demand for tickets, the Rajasthan State Sports Council established a special seating for the Dronacharya Award winners and other sports dignitaries.
What started as a gesture to honor the local sports icon quickly turned into embarrassment. There was a lack of most basic facilities in temporary seating – no refreshments, no drinking water, not proper light. The roof was left in full darkness.
As the temperature rises, the stand remained empty. Some policemen hung all around, hoping to catch a glimpse of cricketers.
“This is a temporary arrangement. If it is successful, we will consider making it permanent. The idea was to increase the stadium’s seating ability,” Pawan, president of the Sports Council Neeraj K Pawan said, at the launch of the initiative. Despite the good intentions, the lack of basic facilities led to a disappointing voting.
Shayan Acharya
