CSK induct Raina and Hayden into franchise's first-ever Hall of Fame
Chennai Super Kings have never been short on nostalgia. On Sunday evening at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, the franchise turned that nostalgia into something permanent.
Two legends, one yellow legacy
Suresh Raina and Matthew Hayden became the first two members of CSK's Hall of Fame, an honour unveiled during the Roar'26 fan event. Both men were fixtures of the franchise's early years and helped shape the identity that CSK still carry today.
Raina was there from the very beginning in 2008 and stayed until 2021. In that time he scored 5,529 runs for the Super Kings, the most by any player in franchise history, with two centuries and 38 half-centuries. He was part of all four IPL title wins in 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021, and also picked up a Champions League T20 Player of the Tournament award in 2014.
Hayden's time in yellow was shorter but no less impactful. The Australian opener played for CSK from 2008 to 2010, scoring 1,117 runs with eight half-centuries. He won the first Orange Cap ever awarded to a CSK player in 2009 with 572 runs that season and was part of the 2010 title-winning squad.
Old faces at Chepauk
The event brought a reunion of sorts. Muttiah Muralitharan, Ambati Rayudu, Lakshmipathy Balaji, S Badrinath and Michael Hussey were all in attendance. For CSK fans who grew up watching these players, it was a reminder of how deep the franchise's history runs, even by IPL standards.
IPL 2026 just around the corner
The timing was deliberate. CSK open their IPL 2026 campaign in the coming days, and the Hall of Fame launch is part of the franchise's pre-season buildup. With defending champions RCB hosting SRH in the tournament opener on March 28, the countdown is very much on.
CSK will be hoping some of that old magic rubs off on the current squad. Raina and Hayden set the template for what it means to play in yellow. The Hall of Fame makes sure that template does not fade.
