IPL 2021: Robin Uthappa reveals how he feels at CSK after playing for Gautam Gambhir-led KKR

It was a long time coming for Robin Uthappa, the IPL player, who hadn't scored a half-century for 23 innings across three seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL) playing for three franchises. Uthappa, who was orange cap winner in the 2014 season in the title-winning year for Kolkata Knight Riders and had his best years in the IPL playing for the men in purple but hasn't been his best since Gautam Gambhir left the side in 2018.

Uthappa's average dropped in 2018 and his strike rate dropped in 2019 playing under Dinesh Karthik before he was released by KKR ahead of the IPL 2020 auction and was picked up by the Rajasthan Royals but he didn't get to play at his favourable opening position for the men in pink as skipper Steve Smith opened along with Jos Buttler and then Ben Stokes and Buttler started opening and Uthappa wasn't getting much opportunities and time in the middle-order but once he started opening he bounced back to form with a 22-ball 41 against RCB and he was up and running.

However, he had a middling season and wasn't able to put up a big score and was traded to Chennai Super Kings ahead of IPL 2021. Uthappa didn't get to play in the first 12 games and didn't score much in the first couple of games but he made it count when his team needed the most.

Uthappa came in at No 3 in the first over itself and made a statement with a four off his first ball through the covers and the match was on. Uthappa then played a couple of behind the keeper but his best came in the final over of the powerplay where he tore into Avesh Khan hitting two sixes and as many fours and CSK were dictating terms now.

He ended up scoring 63 runs off just 44 balls on his son's birthday, who turned four and is a huge spiderman fan. Asked at the post-match presentation about how much confidence coach Stephen Fleming and skipper MS Dhoni have given him, Uthappa said, "I always maintain that this has been one of the most secure franchises going around and everyone feels secure within the group and I think that only makes a player only give that much more back to the franchise.

Just what #CSK needed! @robbieuthappa brings up a fine half-century off 35 deliveries.

Live - https://t.co/38XLwtuZDX #Qualifier1 #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/2ceJHltOob

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 10, 2021

"After KKR, when Gautam was the captain I really enjoyed myself there when Gauti was the captain, I felt really secure in that group but after that this is the most secure I've felt while playing cricket in a while," Uthappa further added.

Asked about the belief in his ability and if there were any doubts because of the lean patch, Uthappa said, "There were days when there were doubts to be honest, when you don't get to play these doubts tend to creep in and I try to make sure that I shut myself from the outside world, I just stuck to that and I just felt that at some point I will be able to contribute to the team in a way that's really meaningful and I'm really grateful for God that I have been able to do that today."

Chennai Super Kings now have a four-day break before the final on Friday, October 15 in Dubai.