FanPlay Fan Stories – Praveen Balusu (Part II)

Praveen x CSK match days 

For Praveen, all CSK match days are Super Days. He arranges Dhoni cut-outs and decorates his entire living space with CSK balloons and goodies. To keep the CSK name going, he keeps conducting competitions in his Organization during CSK match days winners grabbing Yellovely CSK goodies. He himself makes it a point to ensure the spirit for CSK is at a high right throughout the match. Claps, Waves, Whistles and Roars are on a high right throughout the 40 overs. 

This begs us to ask if Praveen also has superstitions like a lot of sportspersons do. Well, the answer is no, and he has a very simple and practical reason for it: 

“Not really because as I said, while we all love to see CSK and Dhoni winning always, we understand the practical aspects of the game. While we celebrate the success when CSK wins, we stand by the team when they lose. A win or a loss, we are always the same and we keep spreading the aroma of Yellove.” 

CSK is always there for us front and Rear… 

We, the fans are always ready to take anything and Bear… 

You have given us a Super pride to Wear… 

We will always be there to support you in any Gear… 

Our love for you has got no boundaries we Swear… 

The feel of love is there in every Happy Tear… 

The strength of our love is always there to Hear… 

We keep supporting our Super Team CSK with no Fear… 

Thank you CSK for always being with us so Near… 

We will keep loving round the Year… 

We love you so much to the core our Dear CSK and DHONI… 

He has numerous instances of him expressing his love for MS Dhoni and CSK. 

Can you believe, he distributed around 10,000 CSK goodies like T-Shirts, Watches, Match Tickets, Water Bottles, Key Chains, Head Phones, Speakers, Arm Bands, Magnets, Trolleys, Bags, Calendars, etc.? Not only that, he makes it a point to distribute food to the poor and needy on every 7th July marking Dhoni’s Birthday. 

His little nephew, Taran Peddu, stays Down Under in Australia. Unsurprisingly, he is a humongous Thala fan and CSK, as well. 

To mark their yellove for Dhoni and CSK, they celebrated Taran’s Dhoti function in January 2020 while he was in India by giving away adorable CSK gifts like CSK bags, CSK water bottles, CSK key chains, CSK t-shirts, CSK toys, CSK books, CSK calendars, etc. to all the guests. Generally, one gets to see kids keeping all the adorable items to themselves but Taran had distributed them to all the guests. 

When asked, he said he wants to spread the aroma of “Yellove” to everyone thereby sending good wishes to Dhoni and CSK. It’s lovely to see such a yellovely emotion from a Super Kid! 

The definition of a True Super Fan 

Casually supporting a sports team is one thing, being their super fan is something else, an irrational feeling which transcends everything in your life. And this is precisely what Praveen educates people about – the real meaning of being a Fan. 

He rightly points out how showering love when the Team is winning and throwing tantrums when they lose is not right, at all. When our team loses, we find a hundred reasons to blame them, but we tend to forget that this very same team has given us a thousand reasons to smile. This happens with any Team. 

No one plays to lose. 

The hurt of the loss is more for the players. We as fans might get hurt because of a loss, but imagine the players and the support staff. The sacrifices they make and the pain they take during these ups and downs are something that should be highly respected. 

CSK and all the other teams were in a bio-bubble for a prolonged period during IPL 2022. That’s easier said than done. They had given us a diversion, excitement and heartful smiles during the pandemic. Let’s not forget all these, Praveen appeals. 

Let’s give them the much-needed support and love. The one who stands-by in a loss is eligible to celebrate success. A true fan will always love, cheer and support the Team be it a win or a loss. He believes in the need for fans to feel themselves in the player’s shoes. 

A careless tantrum may kindle discord; a cruel word may wreck a heart; a timely word may level pain; but a loving word may heal and bless which in turn makes our players play even far better.