The secret diaries of a CSK enthusiast

With spot-fixing and gambling allegations swirling around the Indian Premier League, Firstpost recovered what appears to be the diary of a CSK fan who may or may not have been part of management. Selected entries have been reproduced below. We don’t vouch for its authenticity, though. January 2008 Just heard that Chennai is getting an IPL team. Very excited about this. Hope I can find a way to be part of team management. Since it is a cement company, they will need cricket enthusiasts to help them out, though I heard N Srinivisan, the managing director of the company, is a big cricket fan. Must find out how to meet him and see if I can be hired, even if it just to carry the team’s luggage. I love cricket! April 2008 The Chennai Super Kings reached the final of the first IPL, but lost. I was there at the final. It was very exciting, even though my home team losing was a big disappointment. I could see the players sitting in the dugout. I kept thinking how cool it would be to be down there with them, discussing strategy or just cracking jokes. MS Dhoni seems even cooler than he appears on TV. I think I have found a way to meet Mr Srinivasan. Stay tuned, dear diary, stay tuned. [caption id=“attachment_830193” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  CSK fans during IPL-6. BCCI[/caption] May 2009 Good news and bad news. The good news is I finally met Srinivasan, who, it seems wears another hat - secretary of the BCCI, which makes him the man to know in cricket circles. The bad news is there is no official role for me in the team. They might be able to get me a badge that lets me walk around and meet the players and sit in the team box, but I won’t have an official title. I suggested they could call me “Team Principal” – that’s what they do in Formula One and motor sports is my second love after cricket (tied with golf). But they said it sounded like a school title, and would get back to me on that. April 2010 Have been given a badge that let’s me wander around the stadiums pretty much anywhere I want. I even managed to sneak into the dugout yesterday. Discovered Srinivasan never comes to matches and almost never watches them on TV, so he is unlikely to hear about me being there. Have also realised if I just pretend to be part of management, everyone just goes along with it because they are used to seeing me now. Besides, there are all kinds of people walking in and out of the stadium and the team boxes. No one questions my presence. May 2010 I have Dhoni’s number. I have Dhoni’s number. I have Dhoni’s number. It might be the best day of my life. No, it is the best day of my life. October 2010 I will be at the team auction. Apparently everyone is impressed with my knowledge of cricket. They are giving me a team owner badge so that I can bid for players. I might even get to be on TV. Just between you and me, the plan is to buy back most of the same players. We have already managed to keep Dhoni – I was so relieved when I heard that – and we want to keep the same core together. Called Jack to discuss the strategy. He said he had a good feeling about it. I do too. January 2011 Dear Diary, I have arrived. I was on TV sitting next to the IPL boss. Must remember to ask him next time what Rahul Gandhi is really like behind closed doors. The IPL chief agreed to add me to his email list of owners and invite me to all the owner events. I might have to start printing business cards. Even the press has started asking for them. April 2011 Still on a high after India won the World Cup. Have a good feeling about CSK this season too. Have begun to send Dhoni and Fleming my thoughts and playing XIs before every game - but they don’t appear to respond. I feel like we are building something special here and I feel like a big part of it. Second best day of my life. May 2011 Back-to-back Champions baby. Back-to-back! Asked Dhoni which was the more thrilling moment - lifting the World Cup trophy or the IPL trophy? He just smiled. I guess he doesn’t have to choose. He has both trophies. India and CSK are lucky to have him. March 2012 We are going for a hat-trick of titles. Everyone treats me as the team owner now, even the press. It feels good. CSK added Rockstar Ravindra Jadeja as well. That also feels good. Have business cards now. This also feels good. April 2013 Been a rough few months for India but they recovered well to beat Australia. Lots of talk about Indian players being tired, but I can say that Dhoni is raring to go. We are on a mission to take back our title. Discussed team strategy with Jack before the tournament. He is a good man to bounce ideas off. We have decided to talk before every game. Don’t understand the controversy over Sri Lankan players. How is it unfair if no one can play them? The other franchises are saying they will lose a big player for one match, so it is not fair. They don’t realise CSK loses Sri Lankan players for eight matches. So if it is unfair, it is biased against CSK. May 2013 Can’t believe the spot-fixing scandal. Or that Sreesanth is in the middle of things. Lots of talent, but a loose cannon. Dhoni was telling me that Sreesanth is all but impossible to control. My name is being mentioned as linked to fixing. Wish it were true. But India Cements have out out a statement saying I am not a team owner but just an honorary member of the management. I am a non-person. Fate rules.