CSK best franchise I’ve played for: Muttiah Muralitharan

Muralitharan went on to play three seasons for CSK from 2008 to 2010, picking up 40 wickets from 40 matches.

Former Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has opened up on his Indian Premier League stint with Chennai Super Kings, revealing that he had an interest in CSK from the time he thought of playing the IPL.

Muttiah Muralitharan celebrates a wicket with CSK teammate Suresh Raina. (Getty Images)

Muralitharan joined CSK in the very first edition of the IPL after he was purchased for Rs 4.5 crore at the auction. He went on to play three seasons for CSK from 2008 to 2010, picking up 40 wickets from 40 matches and a part of Muralitharan’s desire to be with CSK stemmed from his respect towards the franchise’s skipper MS Dhoni.

“Captaincy is about respecting the captain, whoever it is. We have to go by his decision. I prayed that if I come to the IPL, I have to go to Chennai, as I thought there will be Chennai people in the team,” Muralitharan said on the show Mind Masters by MFORE on Star Sports Tamil.

“So, at that time, there was a good rule, where local players had to be in the team. The first three years was the best of the years because we could speak in our own language. We were around 7-8 people and even VB sir (VB Chandrasekhar) was there who selected us.”

In fact, Murali struck such a bond with the team that he called CSK the best franchise he’s ever represented in his career. “I have played even for Lancashire for 6 to 7 years, but I’d say that Chennai Super Kings was the best franchise I have played for,” said Muralitharan, whose career with CSK came to an end when he was picked up by the now-defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala ahead of the 2011 IPL.