Roar of the Lion: MS Dhoni speaks about CSK ban, comeback and title triumph

The much-awaited docu-drama series based on how Chennai Super Kings came back after serving their two-year long suspension and then ended up clinching the title was finally released by Hotstar. In the first episode of this 5-episode long series, MS Dhoni takes the center stage as he speaks about how the team rallied around each other and then won the title for its fans.

CSK came back with a tagline, ‘Thirumbi vandhutenu sollu’, that translates to ‘tell them we are back’ and ended up winning the tournament.

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Dhoni also says that 2013 was the darkest phase of his professional career as his side was engulfed in the spot-fixing controversy and the franchise was then suspended for two years by the Lodha Committee in 2015. He categorically mentioned that Gurunath Meiyappan, who was one of the main accused for betting on matches, was not the owner but the owner’s son-in-law. The skipper also believes that the punishment slapped on his side was too harsh.

The first episode was all about Dhoni speaking about his experience and how the side ensured that they kept a level head after making return to the fold after 2 years. Other prominent CSK players like Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Shane Watson, Mohit Sharma and veterans in Mathew Hayden and Michael Hussey also make appearances in the documentary.

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“What was important was that we should have the confidence to live up to the expectations of our owners and fans,” says Dhoni.

One of the most phlegmatic characters in the game, the closing credits of the documentary shows the former Indian skipper in tears while speaking about the team’s comeback in an internal meeting.

‘Performance is not guaranteed but the effort is,’ is how the skipper ends the conversation.