In 2018, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) returned to the IPL after a two-year hiatus, with their team serving a ban as a result of their owners being involved in illegal betting.
Their first game in 2018, against the Kolkata Knight Riders, was eagerly awaited and drew huge crowds. However, it took place against a backdrop of tension as well, following recent protests about a water-sharing dispute with neighbouring state.
There were already calls by various activist groups that it was inappropriate to hold cricket matches in Chennai when the state was facing such a crisis, but it was decided to go ahead anyway.
Four thousand police personnel were deployed to the Chepauk Stadium where the match was held. All roads leading to the ground were blocked, with no vehicles allowed access. Spectators were issued with a long list of banned items, including car keys, banners, flags, water bottles, black clothes, food and bags.
Despite the precautions, there was still trouble before and during the match, which went ahead despite sizeable protests in the streets of Chennai. They included burning of IPL tickets and CSK replica shirts.
In the eighth over of the game, two protesters threw a shoe on the ground. It came close to hitting Ravindra Jadeja of Chennai, who was fielding on the boundary. Meanwhile, a Tamil group threatened to release snakes on to the pitch if CSK played more matches in Chennai.
In reality, the protests in 2018 were just the latest in a long running dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the sharing of water from River Kaveri, which borders the two states, although the Karnataka side has almost twice the inflow received by Tamil Nadu.
Following the protests, it was decided that the remaining home matches of Chennai would have to be relocated elsewhere. The local police said that, given the prevailing situation, they were unable to provide security.
There were four cities in contention, but Pune was eventually chosen, because CSK captain M. S. Dhoni said that he was familiar with the conditions there. That is because he had spent the two years of the CSK ban playing for Rising Pune Supergiants (later Supergiant).