‘This one's for him’ – Robin Uthappa dedicates his match-winning knock against DC to his son on the latter’s fourth birthday

After leaving the Kolkata Knight Riders following the 2019 IPL edition, Robin Uthappa had a torrid time in the Indian Premier League. In 2020, he plied his trade for the Rajasthan Royals where he played some cameos, but failed to get a substantial score under his belt. Thereafter, he was picked to play for the Chennai Super Kings where he had to warm the bench as well.

After CSK qualified for the playoffs, the management decided to bench Suresh Raina and in came Uthappa. The latter started with two low scores, but came into his own against the Delhi Capitals in the Qualifier 1 on Sunday, October 10 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The right-hander scored 63 runs off 44 balls with the help of seven fours and two sixes.

The knock paid dividends as CSK defeated DC by four wickets and booked their spot in the final to be played on Friday, October 25 in Dubai itself. Although he didn’t get the Player of the Match award, Uthappa was delighted and he dedicated his knock to his son on the latter’s fourth birthday.

Robin Uthappa expresses his joy

“Happy that I was able to contribute. Today is my son’s birthday and this one’s for him,” Uthappa was quoted as saying  after the match. Back in March 2016, Uthappa tied the knots with former tennis player Sheethal Goutham in a Christian wedding ceremony. Then in October 2017, the couple gave birth to their first child in the form of a son and named him Neale Nolan Uthappa.

Uthappa’s knock against DC was a crucial one as CSK had lost the early wicket of Faf du Plessis, who was castled by South Africa fast bowler Anrich Nortje. It was Uthappa and Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 110-run stand for the second wicket that brought the Super Kings back into the contest.

Uthappa perished after unsuccessfully trying to clear long-on off Tom Curran. It also happened to be his first half-century in two years after he last scored one for the Knight Riders in 2019. In the end, MS Dhoni made 18 at a strike-rate of 300 to take CSK over the finishing line.