IPL 2021: Divided by franchises, united by passion, fans gear up for tournament’s return in UAE – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Fans from all over India are looking forward to the return of the second leg of IPL 2021. With distinctive and intriguing stories, every fan supporting their favourite team is excited to witness big clashes in store for the remainder of the tournament.

We were able to get in touch with a couple of fans to understand their plans, superstitions, and love for the team they predict will win the coveted title this year

Ramkumar Chandru is a massive Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and MS Dhoni fan and was born and brought up in one of Tamil Nadu’s traditional towns, Kumbakonam. He is an artist who started to make pencil art and wall painting inspired by ancient artistic temples.

“My art is inspired by ancient temples; the architecture and design intrigues me as an artist. That’s when it struck me to create fire art for my favourite player, Dhoni. The design and idea took countless hours and a lot of effort; I spent approximately 2,000 matchsticks to make the final piece.

“Lighting up matchsticks to create fire art piece of Mahi makes me a proud fan. I dedicate this art piece to CSK and Mahi, with the hope that they win the IPL trophy this season.” Ramkumar said.

Shakti Singh is a physically challenged cricketer, who is the vice-captain of his cricket team, The Rajasthan Rajwada. He is a huge Rohit Sharma and Mumbai Indians (MI) fan, and considers the dashing batsman as his role model and wants to be just like him.

Shakti Singh considers Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma to be his role model. Star Sports

“I consider Rohit Sharma my ‘Guru’, his skill as a cricketer, the way he times the ball and his consistency for the team is admirable. He is one of the biggest reasons behind MI winning the trophy multiple times in the IPL. His calm and cool captaincy on and off the field is very fascinating for me to watch.

“I want to inculcate the same traits and attitude he has and one day, just like him — lead my team to victory. My friends and I have a dedicated WhatsApp group for the IPL where we have regular discussions, watch along plans, rivalry and predictions that keep us fans pepped and excited always.” Shakti said.

Ayank is a four-and-a-half-year-old Virat Kohli and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) fanatic. This young fan was seen sobbing when RCB lost during the 2019 knockout game, the video of which went viral and fans across were awestruck by the love this kid had for his favourite player and team. His mother, Anusha Shetty had a lot to share about her son Ayank and the memory attached to it

Ayank was seen sobbing after RCB’s defeat in the playoffs last year, the video of which went viral on social media. Star Sports

“I have never seen Ayank this happy for an IPL season ever, the fact that it’s return has made him cheerful and happy. He believes RCB will win this season and is super excited to watch Virat Kohli along with his team battle their way through. He religiously watches all the RCB games glued to the screen, while wearing the RCB jersey. Nothing will make him happier than watching RCB win the trophy this season, it will really mean a lot to him.” Ayank’s mother, Anusha Shetty said.

These are countless fans who support their favourite players and teams religiously throughout the season. Abhijeet Panda is an avid KKR fan has been supporting his favorite team since 2008 when Shah Rukh Khan bought the franchise. One Life Fan Club founded by Abhilash, is a group of fans from Kerela who are fond of the sport — they organise unique events during the IPL tournaments and play cricket on the weekends wearing RCB jerseys.

These stories signify that every fan has a different and distinct story, they create the foundation and are the backbone of the team they support.