4 min readChennaiMar 22, 2026 09:44 PM IST
The intention behind Chennai Super Kings organising ‘Roar 26’ was to bring the fans closer to the icons of the franchise. And through the course of a five-and-a-half-hour glittering event at Chepauk, the franchise put up a flex – with their OG squad of the initial years proudly displaying the three IPL titles and two Champions League trophies won between 2010-2018. Having not won an IPL title since 2023, for the new, young team of 2026, it seemed like a hidden message that highlighted the expectations here. A gauntlet is being thrown.
From the time the franchise made the announcement about the event, all eyes have been on the star cast. And despite being associated with other IPL franchises, Dwayne Bravo and Matthew Hayden, now with Kolkata Knight Riders and Gujarat Titans as support staff, joined the list of former stars which included Parthiv Patel, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Shadab Jakati, Harbhajan Singh, Joginder Sharma, Aniruda Srikkanth, S Badrinath, Murali Vijay, Muttiah Muralitharan, Michael Hussey, Ambati Rayudu and Suresh Raina.
Michael Hussey, Dwayne Bravo, Suresh Raina and others during the Chennai Super Kings’ ROAR 2026 pre-season fan event at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. (PTI Photo)
As the OGs paraded the five IPL trophies to the turf, the current batch, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, watched from a distance. If they needed a reminder as to what is expected of them in the next two months, they got a live demonstration.
Glory in hand, greatness carrying it 🏆🦁 #Roar26 #WhistlePodu pic.twitter.com/K8wfOgwvzS
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 22, 2026
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Having pressed a refresh button after failing to make the play-offs in successive seasons for the first time, CSK have a mountain to climb in 2026 with what is probably the youngest squad they have put together. Having made the play-offs in every season till 2020, they have missed a last-four finish in four of the last six seasons. It is a trend that this team would be happy to put behind them and return to winning ways.
MS Dhoni with former cricketers Matthew Hayden, Anirudha Srikkanth and others during the Chennai Super Kings’ ROAR 2026 event at CSK’s MA Chidambaram Stadium. (PTI Photo)
And on a night where actors Sivakarthikeyan and music director AR Rahman hogged the limelight, the one who brought the roof down was Sanju Samson, who was the Player of the Tournament in India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad. “It was a goosebumps moment. Winning the World Cup for the country is something I had dreamed of for many years. I’m glad I was able to contribute. Now, I’m excited and looking forward to the next couple of months in the IPL with my new team, CSK. My approach would be simple — see the ball and hit the ball. I will look to hit a lot of sixes and lift the trophy,” Samson said.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐫𝐨𝐦 – Sanju Samson 🦁
#Roar26 #WhistlePodu pic.twitter.com/cXU3NuvtgO— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 22, 2026
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And as AR Rahman’s concert began after the cricketing part of the night, the ‘Mozart of Madras’ started by saying “Sanju, this is for you” and played the popular Malayalam verse at the start of the Dil Se / Uyire chartbuster Jiya Jale / Nenjile, to the roar of the fans at Chepauk.
In the evening, Hayden and Raina were formally inducted into CSK’s Hall of Fame for their contributions to the franchise. “It’s good to be back. Chennai is like home. They have an amazing infrastructure and the amount of love and affection we got from fans here has been amazing. And the amount of trophies we have, it wouldn’t have been possible without their (fans’) support. I want them to win the title this time, and the team looks very strong,” Raina said.
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Earlier at the start of the event, the CSK squad from 2008-2015 played in a one-over contest against the current squad. And ‘Mr. Cricket’ Hussey’s elegant cover lofted cover drives – videos of which were posted on X – rolled the clock back on a night the past and present came together.
