Australian cricket legend Dean Jones has a special relationship with Chennai. Deano, as he was popularly known, died in Mumbai on Thursday. The Aussie was on an assignment for IPL 2020's broadcasters, Star Sports.
In what has been a cricket innings forever etched in the minds of Test fans, it was at the Chennai's MA Chidambaram on an unbearably hot September 1986 that Dean Jones scored one of the most fascinating double centuries.
India and Australia were playing a Test in Chennai between September 18-22. In sweltering atmosphere, with the sun beating down mercilessly, Jones stuck it out for 503 minutes to score 210 off 330 balls.
More than once he was overcome by nausea and bouts of cramps, Dean Jones was dehydrated but not once did it occur to the 25-year-old from Victoria, playing in only his third Test to retire.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) players paid tribute to veteran singer S P Balasubrahmanyam and Jones by wearing black armbands in their IPL game against Delhi Capitals in Dubai on Friday.
"The Super Kings are wearing black armbands in memory of Dean Jones and SP Balasubrahmanyam. One had an absolutely iconic day at Chepauk, the other's life has changed and shaped all of us in so many ways. Lion faceYellow heart #RIPSPB #RIPDeanJones #WhistleFromHome #WhistlePodu #Yellove #CSKvDC," CSK wrote on its Twitter handle.
SP Balasubrahmanyam, popularly as SPB, died in Chennai on Friday afternoon after a long battle with COVD-19 infection.
