Piyush Chawla feels pressure of being in the auction pool. On each of the four previous occasions when he was part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction pool — full auctions in 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2018 — he preferred to be away from the television. Thursday was no different.
While his family was glued to the television in the afternoon, the leg-spinner opted to play a game of snooker at a club in Moradabad, his hometown. The moment he received a call from home, the veteran leg-spinner was relieved.
“First, it was a sense of relief when they told me I have got bids. And when I heard the price and more importantly the team, I was extremely delighted,” Chawla told The Hindu a day before he rejoins Gujarat for its Ranji Trophy campaign.
“I am really looking forward to playing for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). It’s a great team with Mahi bhai (Mahendra Singh Dhoni), arguably the greatest captain in the world. Just couldn’t have asked for more.”
Stephen Fleming, the CSK head coach, also stressed on Chawla’s — who was a member of India’s triumphant campaigns in the 2007 World T20 and the 2011 World Cup — rapport with Dhoni.
“We rate him very highly. The captain has a very good relationship with him. Obbiously, he is a different type of bowler from Karn Sharma, but we are happy to have him,” Fleming said. “We have a well-balanced squad. The home ground is spin dominant, so he will come in more than handy. Just trying to add some bases to what is a pretty good puzzle.”
Chawla is no stranger to Chennai, having been a regular for India Cements in the TNCA League. With 150 IPL wickets, the leggie hopes to make the most of his latest opportunity. “I love playing in Chennai and I hope I can contribute to the rich legacy of CSK.”
Having emerged as the most expensive buy among Indians, it will be interesting to see if Chawla can repose the faith shown in him.
