IPL 2022 | You don't walk into my playing XI, Robin Uthappa reveals what MS Dhoni told him
MS Dhoni is one of the most successful as captain in the IPL.
|Chennai Super Kings batter Robin Uthappa talked about the communication that he had with MS Dhoni after he joined the team back in 2021. The veteran batter also feels the clarity in communication is one of the major reasons behind the Chennai-based franchise's success in the Indian Premier League.
Robin Uthappa joined Chennai Super Kings back in 2021 after he was traded from Rajasthan Royals that season. Uthappa with his experience and exposure in the IPL for so many years knew how to handle pressure and what to expect when he joined the franchise. The veteran batter also talked about the kind of communication he had with former CSK skipper MS Dhoni. He also feels that players are backed by Chennai Super Kings which is a major reason for their success in the IPL.
Robin Uthappa while talking about CSK's success said, “I think this is the secret to successful IPL franchises. They have a large support staff. And one of the things as soon as you enter this setup is that there is loyalty and a sense of security within this group. Their trainers and physios have been around since the inception of IPL. And as a player, you see...from the outside, I have seen when CSK give someone an opportunity it is for 5-6 games or even 7 games" to Ravichandran on his Youtube channel.
"They think that you are really good. They bought into you completely as a person and as a player. Like Shane Watson had a bad IPL in 2018 till the finals, right? And then he did something incredible for us. Similar with Sureshy (Suresh Raina) as well. There are times when he wouldn't have performed well in the first 8 games. But they have stuck with him and suddenly, in the last 6 games, he has changed the whole course of the tournament with his performances,” Uthappa said.Â
Robin Uthappa after that recalled the conversation that he had with former CSK skipper MS Dhoni and talked about the clarity and communication that he got from him saying, “When I came here, that was communicated to me - 'When you get an opportunity, you will get 4 or 5 games for sure. But you have to wait for your opportunity.' For me clarity and communication are very important. So for me, one of thing that I liked about that first conversation with MS was that he told me, 'As of now, you don't walk into my playing XI. We are two months away from IPL. We will see where it goes in the next couple of months. Because I am not thinking about it at this point in time.' Then when I came here, they told me, 'Listen, you are in the top 12 or 13. But you might not get the first game. You might have to wait for your turn.' I said, 'Fair enough, that communication is there,'” he added.Â
