'MS Dhoni got up and turned emotional': Australian legend shares heartwarming CSK story

Chennai Super Kings is one of the most successful teams in the Indian Premier League and has won four titles. MS Dhoni is among the biggest reasons for CSK's success in the IPL as he has been leading the team since 2008. The Chennai-based franchise has reached the playoffs of the tournament except for the 2020 and 2022 seasons. 

Chennai Super Kings is known to reply on experience instead of hard-hitting youngsters as most of their recuriits are either above 30 or are retired from the international level. Players like Suresh Raina, Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo, Harbhajan Singh, Ambati Rayudu and most importantly MS Dhoni are the main key to success for the CSK. 

Now, former Chennai Super Kings opener and Australia all-rounder Shane Watson has opened up on his experience with the CSK franchise and also his experience to play under MS Dhoni. 

CSK means alott to MS Dhoni

Shane Watson is a part of the Legends League Cricket (Masters) that is currently going on in Doha, Qatar, and is playing for the World Giants over there. Watson while speaking in a pre-match interview said, “There was one moment when MS Dhoni got up and spoke at the first team function that we had. You could see how much it meant to him, he got emotional around how much it meant for him to CSK to get back together."

“Then the first game against MI, Dwayne Bravo pulled the rabbit out of the hat, got us home out of nowhere. The belief of immediate. We got the team, we got the players, and we had good performances. The environment Dhoni and Stephen Fleming created... you just went out and had fun. We never talked about results, (we were) just there to enjoy ourselves. We had a great bunch of players, with families there as well. For me, it was a special time."

Shane Watson played an important role In Chennai Super Kings' victory in the 2018 Indian Premier League season and scored a hundred in the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad which guided CSK to victory. 

Chennai Super Kings will be facing defending IPL champions Gujarat Titans in their opening encounter of the Indian Premier League 2023.