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NEW DELHI: “14 years of my struggle has come true today.” Those were the words of Macneil Hadley Noronha to his coach Irfan Sait, after receiving the call from Chennai Super Kings. Sait says it was the most emotional he had seen the Karnataka all-rounder, who struggled to gather himself after learning he would join the CSK squad for the remainder of IPL 2026.The five-time IPL champions signed Noronha as an injury replacement for Ramakrishna Ghosh earlier this week, as reported by this masthead, a move later confirmed through an official IPL statement.“Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have picked a player replacement for Ramakrishna Ghosh, who injured his right foot during their game against Mumbai Indians on May 3rd. He has been ruled out for the season. Macneil Noronha will join CSK for INR 30 lakh as a replacement for Ghosh,” the IPL said in a release.
The call that finally arrived
Noronha was at home when the call came around 4 PM. CSK informed him that he would need to join the squad the following day. He immediately called Sait.“For the first time since I started coaching him, I saw him this emotional. It was years of hard work that finally paid off for Noronha. He was invited by four franchises – Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings – for trials. He did really well there and finally, CSK picked him. I am really happy for this kid. He has struggled and worked extremely hard for this day. Shreyas Gopal guided him very well,” Sait told TimesofIndia.com.Sait believes Noronha’s biggest strength lies in the balance he brings as a cricketer.“He is a god-gifted cricketer with a good temperament. I would say he is an all-format player. He has always been a positive batter. The beauty about him is that he doesn’t even look aggressive. He has got his own style of batting – so relaxed and so calm – but he hits the ball a long, long way. When he strikes the ball, he makes it look so effortless,” he said.
A domestic season that changed everything
The 24-year-old had already built momentum through a strong domestic season. Noronha topped the run charts in the CK Nayudu Trophy with 1037 runs in eight matches and was later recognised with the BCCI Naman Award.He also played a major role in Mangaluru Dragons’ Maharaja Trophy-winning campaign in 2025, scoring 253 runs at a strike rate of 148.82 while also contributing 10 wickets.Those performances earned him opportunities with Karnataka’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy squad and the Rest of India Under-23 side.
From Dubai to Bengaluru
Noronha spent most of his childhood in Dubai because of his father’s business commitments. He first began training under Sait at the age of 11, frequently travelling to Bengaluru for short training stints at the Karnataka Institute of Cricket (KIOC).Sait eventually advised the family to move permanently to India to support his cricket development.“At some point, since he has roots in Mangalore, I suggested that he should consider shifting because UAE cricket only goes up to the Under-19 level and beyond that there isn’t much structure. His father continued his business in Dubai, while his mother and sister moved to Bengaluru for his education and cricket,” Sait said.
Macneil Hadley Noronha (Special Arrangements)
The move required the family to split between two countries for several years.“His parents have sacrificed a lot for the boy. Can you imagine? His father is in Dubai while the mother stayed here taking care of him. His sister is married now, but both brother and sister were here with the mother while she lived away from her husband in Dubai. It was a huge sacrifice. Taking him to the stadium and bringing him back – she did everything. That lady has done everything to ensure he was well taken care of and protected,” Sait said.“His CSK call-up should be dedicated to his parents. He has made them proud,” he added.
The Yuvraj Singh connection
Although he is a right-handed batter and off-spinner, Noronha has long admired Yuvraj Singh.Sait recalled an incident from 2019, the day Yuvraj announced his retirement from international cricket. Before a semifinal in a private tournament, Noronha approached his coach with an unusual idea.“That day is something I will never forget. Yuvraj had announced his retirement and we had a semifinal match in a private tournament. Noronha came to me and said, ‘Sir, I want to pay tribute to my hero Yuvraj Singh.’ I asked him, ‘How?’ He said, ‘By hitting six sixes in an over.’ I told him, ‘No, don’t try that. It is a semifinal match. If you fail, the team will suffer and lose the match.’”
Macneil Hadley Noronha (Special Arrangements)
Noronha went ahead with the plan anyway.“He smashed six sixes in an over, won the match for the team and took them to the final. We also went on to win the final,” Sait said.
CSK’s growing injury list
Noronha joins CSK at a time when injuries have heavily disrupted their season. Ramakrishna Ghosh was ruled out with a foot fracture after the game against Mumbai Indians on May 2.The franchise has also dealt with injuries to Nathan Ellis, Dewald Brevis, Khaleel Ahmed, Ayush Mhatre and Jamie Overton, while MS Dhoni is yet to feature this season as he continues recovering from a calf injury.
