Suresh Raina, Matthew Hayden become Chennai Super Kings' first Hall of Fame inductees

Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK) inducted former batters Suresh Raina and Matthew Hayden as the first two members into their Hall of Fame on Sunday, March 22. The legends were honoured during the Roar 26 event organised by the CSK at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Both Raina and Hayden were the stalwarts for their team, having played for the Chennai-based franchise for the majority of their IPL career. Hayden represented CSK in 34 matches, scoring 1117 runs at an average of 34.90 and a strike rate of 135.55 with eight fifties to his name.

He was a part of CSK’s maiden IPL and Champions League T20 triumph in 2010. The Australian legend was also the first CSK player to win the Orange Cap award during IPL 2009, for amassing 572 runs.

On the other hand, Raina was a vital cog in CSK’s batting lineup for 14 years, having represented the Yellow Army in 200 matches. Known as Mr IPL for his remarkable exploits in the tournament every season, Raina remains the highest run scorer for CSK, having accumulated 5529 runs at an average of 33.10 and a strike rate of 138.91 with two hundreds and 38 fifties to his name.

Raina played a pivotal role for CSK in their four IPL and two Champions League T20 triumphs. Raina also won the Player of the Tournament award in the Champions League T20 2014 edition for scoring 234 runs in the competition.

Both players were honoured with Hall of Fame induction as CSK celebrated the legends who helped them build an enviable legacy as a T20 franchise. 

When will CSK begin IPL 2026 campaign?

Meanwhile, the five-time champions have begun preparations for the upcoming season of the tournament. CSK will begin their IPL 2026 campaign on March 30 against Rajasthan Royals at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. They will further play their first home fixture against Punjab Kings on April 3 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.