'CSK in jail for two years ... ': Ex-cricketer slams fans for mocking MS Dhoni and five-time champions

MS Dhoni (BCCI/IPL Photo)

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NEW DELHI: Nothing seems to be going right for Chennai Super Kings over the past two seasons. The five-time IPL champions missed out on a playoff spot in 2024 and endured another disappointing campaign in IPL 2025 . They were, in fact, the first team to be knocked out of the playoff race this season. Former CSK player Robin Uthappa acknowledged the team’s underwhelming performances but didn’t hold back in criticising fans who took their mockery of the MS Dhoni-led side to extreme levels.Matches between CSK and RCB have always been high-voltage affairs, often bringing out the worst in fans on both sides. The marquee clash has repeatedly seen heated exchanges in the stands, with supporters hurling offensive jibes at each other.This season too, before the IPL was suspended, RCB edged out CSK in a thrilling encounter to keep their playoff hopes alive.Ahead of that game, some RCB fans were spotted selling ‘CSK jail’ jerseys—an attempt to taunt the Chennai-based franchise over their two-year suspension from the IPL in 2016 and 2017.However, Uthappa, who has donned the jersey of both franchises during his IPL career, was unimpressed with the gesture. He criticised the actions of some RCB fans who held up white T-shirts with black stripes to mock CSK supporters."It was pretty intense. Outside the stadium, they were mocking the team, the players of the team when the bus was leaving, that was one thing that I saw, which I thought was in bad taste. The other one that I saw were the fans fighting with each other. I saw women being heckled, which felt unsavory, to be very honest. We saw that even in Chennai last year, again, uncalled for. It's not on whatsoever," said Uthappa on his YouTube channel."It has gotten pretty intense. They are holding up jerseys, white T-shirts marked with black lines, stating the two years that CSK were banned for. They have kind of written MS' number on it, and Thala under it, depicting that they were in jail for two years, or whatever. It's getting a little beyond sport which concerns me. Because at the end of the day, this is a sport," he added.RCB took a significant step towards securing an IPL playoff spot, while defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were eliminated from contention after persistent rain washed out their clash on Saturday, forcing both teams to share points.With 17 points from 12 matches, RCB now sit atop the points table, ahead of second-placed Gujarat Titans (16 points). A win in either of their remaining two fixtures will be enough to confirm their place in the playoffs.RCB are set to host the already-eliminated Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 23, followed by an away game against Lucknow Super Giants on May 27.

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