I had a desire to play with MS Dhoni again and win a tournament once before he retires: Robin Uthappa

India’s swashbuckling batsman Robin Uthappa found a new owner in the form of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he was traded by his previous IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals (RR) to the Super Kings.

Uthappa had represented Royals in IPL 2020 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) across three venues namely Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah but the franchise decided to part ways with the right-handed batsman after he failed to live up to his expectations and delivered a below-par performance.

The 35-year-old played in all the 12 matches for the Men in Pink but could score only 196 runs at an average of 16.33 and strike rate of 119.51, with 41 being his highest score. After joining his new team, the Super Kings, Robin Uthappa made a revelation regarding his desire of playing under MS Dhoni and winning the IPL title for him before he bids adieu to the T20 Extravaganza.

Robin Uthappa thanks CSK fans for their love

In a video posted on Robin Uthappa’s official Instagram handle, he expressed his gratitude to all the CSK fans for showering love on him and giving him a warm welcome. The batsman also briefly talked about his admiration for former Indian captain Dhoni before expressing his happiness on getting to share a dressing room with players like Ambati Rayudu and Suresh Raina.

“Vanakkam Chennai, epdi irukeenga? (Hello Chennai, how are you?). First of all, I’d like to say thanks to all the CSK fans for the wonderful welcome I’ve received over the last few weeks. This message is a bit long pending, but I’m glad that ‘late aanaalum latest ah pannirken’ (I’m latest even if I’m late- Tamil movie dialogue),” Robin Uthappa said in the video.

“Thanks so much for all the love and support I’ve received so far. Honestly, it’s a bit of a desire to come true for me. I had a desire to play with him [MS Dhoni] again and win a tournament once before he retires. So it’s a blessing to get an opportunity to play for CSK.

“Not just that, I get to play with a lot of players I grew up with. Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina… I’ve been playing with them since Under-17. So I’m very very happy that I’m a part of CSK. I’ll work hard and play well if I get an opportunity. And I’m looking forward to coming there and entertaining all of you,” he concluded.