Known for attending all CSK matches wearing his trademark yellow-paint akin to the jersey, the 35-year-old told DT Next that the pandemic has taken away something perfectly crafted into his yearly routine. “The IPL season has passed and I have been terribly missing it. It is a part of my soul and has given me a purpose in life. Before the IPL, I was just an ordinary guy going to work and spending time with family and friends. With IPL, I have something to look forward to every year,” he said.

According to Saravanan, the season was put on hold just after various fan clubs had met to discuss their plans for the season. There had been a few practice sessions in the city as well, he added. But what he misses the most, however, is going to Chepauk Stadium to watch the match with his close friends. “We are nine of us. They are like family to me and we always go to the matches together. With the shutdown, we haven’t been able to meet each other, but we do call and talk of matches or players and this helps take our minds off things,” he said. To pass the time, the superfan says he watches matches of the Indian team, and not just IPL. “Since I haven’t missed a single match, memories are vivid and when I watch replays I get overwhelmed,” he said.

However, Saravanan says that he does not want to return to the stands unless it is safe to do so. “It’s reminiscent of 2018. In the qualifier-1, Faf du Plessis managed to pull through the victory at the very end. That whole season was about CSK grabbing victory moments away from the last ball. Similarly, IPL too will make a comeback,” he said.