Following a two-year hiatus from the Indian Premier League (IPL), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) returned for the eleventh edition of the country's cash-rich T20 tournament with a nail-biting win against defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) in the opening game. If their victory in the tournament's opener had everyone excited, the two-time IPL champions turned up the heat with another emphatic triumph against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Chepauk stadium yesterday. 

After Andre Russell's unbeaten 36-ball 88- which included 11 towering sixes - silenced the deafening home crowd and powered the visitors to an imposing total of 202 runs, the MS Dhoni-led side unleashed a blockbuster finish to secure a five-wicket win, making it two wins in as many games in the tourney. 

Riding on the back of Sam Billings' 23-ball 56 and Shane Watson's rapid-fire knock of 42, Chennai chased down the mammoth total with five wickets and a ball to spare. It was also only the second time when a 200-plus T20 score was successfully chased down at the MA Chidambaram stadium. 

© Instagram/@sambillings

Well, for a team that has been sorely missed in the last few years, you'd expect their fans to be absolutely pumped, especially after they romped to the numero uno spot in the points tally. But, sadly, it wasn't the case. Chennai's hard-fought win was thoroughly marred by the Cauvery water dispute.

If the grim atmosphere just a few hundred meters from the 22-yard strip at the center threatened to slither in and dampen the spirits, the shambolic antics of a few vociferous protesters inside the stadium eventually spoiled Chennai's homecoming. In an unsavory incident, a couple of miscreants gave the electric Chennai crowd a bad name after a shoe was chucked at Ravindra Jadeja - one of the oldest stalwarts of the franchise.

People in the stadium hurled shoes at Jadeja and  Faf du Plessis ð¬ð¡ this is such a Shameful act!! Hurling shoes on foreign players and our players is worst thing happened Today!! #ChennaiSuperKings #CSKvKKR #KKRvsCSK #Jadeja pic.twitter.com/RnYG2cb36L

— Nikhil here (@rapolu_nikhil) April 10, 2018

The incident occurred in the eighth over of the Kolkata innings when an unidentified protestor hurled a shoe at Jadeja who was stationed at long-on. The footwear didn't just miss Jadeja but also fell near the boundary rope where Faf Du Plessis and Lungi Ngidi were taking a stroll.

Police Arrested the Protestors who throwed Shoes at Players !

A post shared by mahi7781 ðµ (@bleed.dhonism) on Apr 10, 2018 at 8:36pm PDT

The two culprits detained by the police for their idiotic act are alleged to be a part of pro-Tamil outfit Naam Tamizhar whose leader and film personality Seeman was also amongst the activists taken into custody. But, the shameful shoe-hurling incident - usually reserved for political rallies and press conferences - marred the legacy of one of the world's biggest and most prestigious T20 leagues. 

#KATZ #PICK kas 29

Was horrified when someone threw a shoe a @imjadeja . But later on when Ravindra Jadeja nearly got Bravo run out in the 19th over, i thought he was looking for the matching other shoe . #CloseShaves #CSKvsKKR

— kasturi shankar (@KasthuriShankar) April 10, 2018

Had the Chennai based avatar of Dhoni. But as a Chennai-ite and a Thamizhan, I pull it down & put an all black avatar, in protest/shame over the shoe throwing incident against Faf D Plessis & Jadeja in the #CSKvKKR match today. Endrendum Chennai veriyan, but this is just not on

— Ravi Sutharsan (@RaviSutharsan) April 10, 2018

Jadeja plays football with the shoes which was thrown at him.. NEENGALAM AVELODHAN DA. @itisprashanth @ChennaiIPL
CSK ALL OVERð¯ð¯ð¯ð¯ð¯ð¯ð¯ @ChennaiIPL

— Prasanna Mohan (@itsmepras24) April 10, 2018

Meanwhile in IPL Chennai... Fans threw shoe and slippers on Faf Du Plesis...and ravendra jadeja...
They might hv alot of  money but small hearts ð#shiningindia LOL

— Aiman (@hey_Aimy) April 10, 2018

without hesitating jadeja and fa du plesis removed all shoes and slippers thrown at them they have nothing to do with #Caveryissue  #CSKvKKR #IPL2018 #IPL

— senthil (@senthilk77) April 10, 2018

Faf Du Plessis Sorry :(

— Siva Kumar K (@sivakumarck) April 10, 2018

ðApologies for the worst behaviour by one of our bro/sis. #csk vs #KkR  #Faf
Faf Du Plessis
Faf Du Plessis
Faf du plessis

— praveen (@udaipraveen) April 10, 2018