7 Reasons behind Chennai Super Kings' phenomenal success in IPL across seasons

6. Loyalty and prayers of the strong fan base

CSK has the biggest fan base

This might sound weird but it was the prayers of the CSK fans which helped the team to cross one hurdle after the other. Though it might sound so far-fetched, it only amounts to presenting the facts.

CSK commands the biggest fan base amongst all the franchise teams all over the world. The CSK fans throng the stadium in big numbers wherever their team plays. IPL, in fact, lost its charm when CSK didn’t take part in 2016 and 2017.

The effect the prayers had on the fortunes of CSK can be best illustrated in the following manner:

In the IPL 2012, CSK needed a win against Kings XI in their last group match at Dharmasala. But CSK lost that match and finished the group stage with 17 points. On the same night, Royal Challengers won their match against Delhi Daredevils to move onto 17 points.

Now CSK, in order to qualify for the playoff, had to depend on the results of 4 other games which should all go in their favour. The position of CSK was so hopeless that its main player Dwayne Bravo reached New Delhi for his onward return journey to the Caribbean.

This was when the prayers of the CSK fans played a huge role and miracles started to happen. In the next match Deccan Chargers with their win, very nearly eliminated the other rival for CSK, Rajasthan Royals who ultimately went out of the tournament after their defeat in the last match against Mumbai Indians.

In the next match, bottom-placed Delhi Daredevils played the role of Party Poopers to perfection against Kings XI and it was now left to CSK and RCB to grab the one remaining spot. Both had 17 points, while CSK had a better run rate, RCB had one match in hand against the bottom-placed Deccan Chargers.

All CSK fans were frantically praying for RCB to lose against Deccan Chargers which would automatically dent RCB’s net run rate. This match was played at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Hyderabad. While the real match was played between RCB and Deccan Chargers, the actual competition was between CSK and RCB to grab a place in the playoff.

When Deccan Chargers batted first and scored just 132, it was almost all over for CSK. CSK’s plight further worsened when Chris Gayle took off with 27 off 10 balls.

Fortunately for CSK, Dale Steyn chose that day to exhibit his blistering fast bowling skills. Steyn wrapped the other opener, Dilshan on the pads and uprooted Gayle’s middle stump out of the ground. Steyn finished with figures of 4-0-8-3.

In spite of Steyn’s best spell in IPL, RCB were comfortably placed at 103 for 4 with chase master King Kohli at the wicket. RCB needed 30 runs in 4 overs with 6 wickets in hand. That was when the prayers of CSK fans started to take effect and their prayers were finally answered when Kohli got out to Ashish Reddy for 42. The relatively unknown Ashish Reddy suddenly became a hero with figures of 3 for 25 and RCB crashed out of the match and the tournament. CSK went on to reach the final of IPL 2012 where they lost to KKR.

The loyalty and the faith the CSK fans reposed in their team is yet another reason for CSK’s success in IPL across all seasons.