Cricket fans thrilled to return to Chepauk but stress on safety

Despite their excitement about returning to the stadium to catch the excitement in all its glory, fans are exercising caution when it comes to adhering to safety measures. “Although we are excited, we must remember that the pandemic is not over. We have to follow the rules. This is the first in-person match in India after the pandemic, and whether there are more matches after this depends on our behaviour and adherence to rules,” said M Saravanan, a fan. 

Fans are happy that the I, J and K stands at Chepauk Stadium have been opened for use, as this will lead to reduced ticket prices. They are also thrilled to meet their friends again after so many months of lockdown. Many friend groups share that they have special traditions with their friends after watching a match at Chepauk. 

“My friends and I go to a hotel nearby, and order some food and tea after a match. We discuss the match, and get into really funny arguments and debates on the match we just saw. While we’ve been doing this online over the last many months, we are very excited to be able to return to this tradition of ours,” said Martin Robert, an investment banker and avid cricket fan.