Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has launched a scathing attack on the five-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and also mounted serious accusations of potential auction-fixing charges against former BCCI president N. Srinivasan.

Lalit revealed that the moment he started unraveling his infamous fixing plot, Srinivasan had reportedly turned against him. At present, Lalit has leveled two serious allegations against Srinivasan. 

His first allegation centers around Srinivasan's alleged role in influencing the 2009 mega-auction in which he pressured the other franchises to keep away from Andrew Flintoff. And in his second allegation, Lalit exposes how Srinivasan attempted to influence the outcome of the game in his side's favor by appointing Chennai-based umpires.

Lalit Modi gifts Andrew Flintoff To N Srinivasan (CSK)

In a recent interview, Lalit highlighted how the former BCCI secretary played a key role in manipulating the auction to ensure Andrew Flintoff was picked by CSK only. At Srinivasan's request, Modi confessed that he had advised the other teams secretly not to pick Freddie Flintoff. 

"Pick out everything—auction rigging. I gave Flintoff to Srinivasan. No doubts about it; every team knew about it. Srinivasan wasn’t going to let the IPL happen. He was a thorn in our Board. Yes, we told everybody not to pick ‘Flintoff.’ Yes, that I did—because Srinivasan said he wanted it."

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Manipulation plot to appoint Chennai umpires for home games

If that wasn't enough, Srinivasan went a step further to interfere in yet another aspect of the game. He tried to have Chennai-based umpires officiate the home games for CSK so as to ensure that the critical decisions go in his team's favor. Modi labeled this move as "indirect fixing" in his recent interview and spoke at length on how Srinivasan turned out to be a thorn in his side during the formative years of the cash-rich league.

"At first, I didn’t think much about it. But when I realized he was putting a Chennai umpire on a Chennai game, it became an issue for me. That’s called indirect fixing. When I started exposing those things, he went totally against me. When everybody started going back-to-back, he was also a member of the board. He was a big adversary of mine. I went up against him, and he did many things. Umpire fixing—he accused me of it, and I accused him right back. He would change the umpire."

CSK is one of the most successful teams in the IPL with five title under their belt. Under Dhoni's flamboyant and esteemed leardership the Chennai-based outfit soared to new heights. However, the franchise did come under fire when the world first became aware of its role in match-fixing and was subsequently banned as a result for two years in 2016 and 2017. 

In 2010, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) made history by winning their first Indian Premier League (IPL) title. They defeated Mumbai Indians (MI) in a closely-fought final match held in Chennai. CSK’s captain, MS Dhoni, played a pivotal role in leading the team to victory.

Suresh Raina’s explosive batting sets the stage for CSK

CSK posted a massive total of 168/5 in their innings, thanks to Suresh Raina’s brilliant knock of 57 runs off just 35 balls. Albie Morkel also contributed with a quickfire 15 off 6 balls. MI tried to chase down the target but fell short, managing 146/9 in their innings. Suresh Raina was awarded the Player of the Match for his outstanding performance.

CSK’s double triumph

This victory not only secured CSK’s first IPL title but also earned them qualification for the 2010 Champions League Twenty20 in South Africa. Led by MS Dhoni, CSK continued their dominance in the T20 format by winning both the IPL and CLT20 titles in the same year.

After that CSK won the championship in the IPL season of 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023. Fans are expecting for this year also. 

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The win was celebrated by CSK fans, marking the beginning of their success story in the IPL. The team’s triumph continued in subsequent seasons, establishing them as one of the most successful franchises in IPL history.