Try GOLD - Free
Ground report: Out of form, but not out of fans
The New Indian Express Kottayam
|May 01, 2025
"DOES that mean you are coming back next year as well?" asked broadcaster Danny Morrison, indicating to the loud cheers from the stands of the MA Chidambaram stadium, as he spoke to Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni.
The 43-year-old, in his typically witty manner, replied, "I don't know. I am coming for the next game."
It led to a comical moment at the toss, but as the camera panned, the one thing that was hard to miss was the number of empty seats in the stands. Now, it was a Wednesday, and on most weekday IPL games the crowd takes time to come in and fill the stands. On such occasions, how the stands look about an hour into the game gives a fair idea on what the attendance is going to be. And Chepauk, which can hold about 35,000 fans, has consistently seen an official attendance close to 30,000 or more.
The SRH game saw about 32,770 fans fill the ground while on Wednesday, as many as 32,063 fans (according to official figures) had shown up till about 8.30PM.
This story is from the May 01, 2025 edition of The New Indian Express Kottayam.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM The New Indian Express Kottayam
The New Indian Express Kottayam
OUTFOXING AI, FOR BETTER OR VERSE
A paper on ar Xiv by researchers at the Icaro Lab in Italy has set off a firestorm of headlines.
3 mins
December 13, 2025
The New Indian Express Kottayam
MNREGA gets new name, 125 days of employment
SETTING the stage for a major overhaul of the country’s flagship rural jobs scheme, the Union Cabinet on Friday approved the renaming of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to Pujya Bapu Gramin Rozgar Yojana.
1 mins
December 13, 2025
The New Indian Express Kottayam
Cabinet clears 100% FDI in insurance
THE Union Cabinet on Friday approved a proposal to raise the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in insurance firms from 74% to 100%, and usher in a set of structural reforms to strengthen the sector.
1 min
December 13, 2025
The New Indian Express Kottayam
MahaYuti stays united, seals Maha seat deal for BMC polls
THE BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are set to contest the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections—scheduled for next month—unitedly.
1 min
December 13, 2025
The New Indian Express Kottayam
CM says rehab new path for social integration in C’garh
TEN cadres of the banned CPI (Maoist) surrendered before the police in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma on Friday, choosing to step away from violence and return to the mainstream.
1 mins
December 13, 2025
The New Indian Express Kottayam
Vinesh training in Bengaluru as she takes big step towards LA28
DRAMATIC COMEBACK
1 mins
December 13, 2025
The New Indian Express Kottayam
ED raids in three states in illegal cough syrup case, UP action on big stockists
INa major crackdown on the illegal trade in codeine-based cough syrup, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided 25 locations across Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat on Friday.
1 min
December 13, 2025
The New Indian Express Kottayam
House truth: Gujarat’s road safety gap widens
FRESH Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha data have exposed serious problems in Gujarat’s road management system.
1 mins
December 13, 2025
The New Indian Express Kottayam
Minister, scholar, LS speaker: Multi-faceted Shivraj Patil passes away
FORMER Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil Chakurkar passed away at 90 on Friday morning at his native Latur in Maharashtra after a brief illness.
1 mins
December 13, 2025
The New Indian Express Kottayam
Ops to hunt terrorists in Jammu forests
AFTER a series of encounters and brief gunfights in the forest belts of Jammu region in the last six months, security forces have launched a major winter offensive to track down militants hiding in the dense and rugged forest areas.
1 min
December 13, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size