When Chennai Super Kings bought India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara for ₹50 lakh at the Indian Premier League auctions in February, the franchise received a round of applause from representatives of the other teams who were present in the hall.
Pujara, who is a renowned Test specialist, had not been picked in the IPL for several years, as there were doubts on whether he could adapt to the fast-paced T20 cricket.
But CSK bought the batsman, and in IPL 2021, the 34-year-old will play for the three-time champions.
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CSK CEO K Viswanathan was asked in a recent interview whether Pujara will have a role to play for the franchise in the upcoming season or whether he was bought to honour what he has done for India in Test cricket over the years.
"See, we also wanted to honour him, that’s for sure. But at the same time, I can tell you one thing, a person of his calibre with such good technique, he can adapt to any format," K Viswanathan told The Indian Express.
{{/usCountry}}"See, we also wanted to honour him, that’s for sure. But at the same time, I can tell you one thing, a person of his calibre with such good technique, he can adapt to any format," K Viswanathan told The Indian Express.
{{/usCountry}}"That is our view. He can be a player who can contribute a lot to CSK. That’s what we felt and that is the reason why we picked him.
"He will certainly have a role to play (up the order), but I cannot say whether he will play the first game or the second game. That is not the question (also). He is an important part of our group and we look forward to his contribution," he further added.
Meanwhile, Pujara on Wednesday said he was honoured to receive the official kit from CSK skipper MS Dhoni, adding that he is looking forward to a "great season" of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
"Excited and honoured to receive the official kit from @msdhoni bhai and the @ChennaiIPL family! Looking forward to a great season ahead #famlove #fresher #whistlepodu," Pujara tweeted.