Chennai gave me the chance to develop as a player: Hayden

It always feels good coming to Chennai, my first point of call in 1996 and 1997. I trained at the MRF Pace Academy back then. That whole experience got me thinking about the gap existing between my regional background and my personality as well as from a cricketing point of view. And what an opportunity it was for me to develop as a player. I felt Chennai was the perfect place not only to breed enthusiasm in the game but also the knowledge in terms of diversifying my game enough to be able to play spin. I just instantly had this unexplainable connection here. I always go with the flow in life and for me I haven’t tried to fight that ever. The irony of it all is that 11 years later just purely from my CSK days, I am still coming back to the region. The TNPL has been another lovely feather in the cap just as how it keeps me in this space. Chennai Super Kings was fantastic but it kept me in Chennai; for me to travel around has been great. 

I have many. I have fine memories of the IPL going to South Africa in the second season and even though it was abroad, it was successful. 2010 was a fantastic year for Chennai. It was the year we won the tournament and went on to win the Champions League T20 as well. So, that was a special year where you felt the franchise was building towards something special. More than anything I think the strength of CSK is that it is built on a solid cricket association. CSK had such a solid cricketing fan base. Yes, it had its superstars in the Dhonis and the Rainas and the Bravos. 

Someone like a Washington Sundar would be fantastic to have in the set-up. There’s Abhinav Mukund. He has Test match experience. I think he’s a really good player and he’s got a bright future. He’s young, he reminds me of myself at the same age. Such talent but you didn’t quite know how to make it and he’s got a big future. I think there are four or five guys, including Jagadeesan. There’s lot of talent, probably Abhinav, Jagadeesan, Washington and Natarajan. 

I think the idea of fan parks are amazing. Right across the country, you might not be able to watch live action but that does not mean you’re not interested. You’ll find the reach of the game in the smaller districts is great and it can only be a good thing. Exposing them to a high level of play is great. There is a level of excitement and anticipation in regional India. I feel it’s a mistake that Test cricket is going to regional centres. I think it should be played in the traditional centres.