Vivo IPL 2021: Robin Uthappa expresses his desire to open innings for CSK in IPL 2021.
Vivo IPL 2021: India’s veteran batsman Robin Uthappa who will be playing for Chennai Super Kings in the forthcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has expressed his desire to open the innings. The 35-years old cricketer is acquired by Chennai Super Kings by trade with Rajasthan Royals before the IPL 2021 auction.
Robin Uthappa in the last couple of years has played his role in the middle order for Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals. However, his scoring graph as gone down in the last two years and failed to deliver up to his reputation. In the year 2019, he scored 282 runs off 12 games with only one half-century. The last outing was even worse as he failed to penetrate 200 runs mark, ended on 196 in 12 games for Rajasthan Royals.
Uthappa feels he can rebuild his reputation in the cash-rich league once again if he is allowed to open the innings for Chennai Super Kings. Times of India reached out to the cricketer and had a chat where he revealed that he could have performed much better in the last two IPL seasons if he was given the freedom to open the innings.
“I would definitely like to play as an opener. It is where I naturally thrive. Getting the team off to a good start and winning matches for the team is what I am most comfortable doing. In the last few years, people have tried to use me in positions that I am not necessarily good at. It is probably why you have seen a dip in performance. But whenever I have opened the batting, I have done really well,” said Uthappa.
Robin Uthappa averages over 30 when he plays at number 3. In this place, he has tasted enormous success in the past. Uthappa scored 1,425 runs playing at number 3 however he averages 27.43 when allowed to open the innings with 2,057 runs under his belt in that position. But his average drops to just 27.45 and 17.44 in 4th and 5th position respectively.
The veteran cricketer will be sharing a dressing room with CSK skipper MS Dhoni. Both the cricketer shared a dressing room back in 2006 for the first time. Uthappa played an integral role in India’s success in the T20 World Cup.
“I have got the fondest memories with Dhoni. We met for the first time during a Challenger Trophy campaign and played an NCA (National Cricket Academy) match together around 2004. We were very close when we were playing for India together. Since then, we have always been in touch. Our families are pretty close to each other as well. Our relationship has grown over the years. Even our kids are friends today,” said Uthappa.
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