Chennai, Jul 10 (IANS): Newly-wed India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his wife Sakshi were the centre of attraction at a felicitation organised by the Madras Cricket Club to honour Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for winning this year's Indian Premier League (IPL).

Dhoni was offered the honorary membership of the club, one of India's oldest and which was formed in 1846.

Dhoni thus joined the likes of Indian cricketing greats like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar, to name a few, who have been bestowed with the honorary membership of the club.

"I have some happy memories of Chennai despite the heat and humidity of the city. I made my Test debut here in 2005 and then came back as captain of Chennai Super Kings," Dhoni said.

"One of the things that went our way in this IPL was the contribution of local players," Dhoni said in presence of CSK players Ravichandran Ashwin, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Subramaniam Badrinath and Hemang Badani, who were presented with momentos.

"I hope we do not disappoint the CSK fans and will give our best to retain the IPL trophy," he said.

N.Srinivisan, BCCI secretary and owner of CSK, was full of praise for Dhoni's leadership and management skills.

"We could win this trophy because of the great comeback we made in the second half of the tournament."

CSK had won only two of their opening seven matches, before turning the corner.

Sakshi, whose marriage with Dhoni at Dehradun was a closely guarded affair, was the cynosure of the big gathering even as media hustled to get a close up view of the star couple.