Where will Dhoni play Pujara in the starting XI of the CSK lineup?

The CSK management committee raised several eyebrows when they brought in Indian Test cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara in the IPL 2021 auction. Upon his recruitment, CSK bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji stated that Pujara clearly deserved to be part of the IPL. Balaji stated that Pujara gives his 100% whenever he represents the country. Hence, as a sign of respect, CSK offered the Test veteran a place in the CSK squad.

Pujara unlikely to start for Chennai Super Kings

Pujara last played in the IPL in the year 2014. His IPL record is not also the best. In 30 IPL matches, Pujara amassed just 390 runs, with just a single fifty in 30 innings. It has almost been 7 years since the Test player played in the IPL. Furthermore, Pujara has not been in touch with the limited series format for quite a while. Pujara was part of the 2018-19 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In 6 games, Pujara amassed a total of 260 runs with a superb batting average of 86.66. 

Despite this, there is a possibility that Pujara might not make it to the starting XI of the CSK lineup. There are plenty of in-form batsmen in the squad. These include Ambati Rayudu, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Faf du Plessis. Furthermore, with the arrival of Suresh Raina, the chances of Pujara starting are very slim. 

The opening position seems the most feasible for Cheteshwar Pujara

What sets MS Dhoni apart from other captains is his ability to bring the best out of his players. For several years, Dhoni has handled players immensely well, which has made him one of the most successful captains across all formats. Hence, it is believed that Dhoni will utilize Pujara to the best of his abilities.

CSK endured their worst outing in IPL history last year, as they failed to qualify for the first time in 13 years. With CSK direly missing Shane Watson, there is a possibility to play Pujara up top. Pujara could provide tremendous stability to the CSK batting lineup. Not only that, this will allow attacking batsmen such as Raina, du Plessis, and Rayudu to take charge. CSK is yet to figure out the ideal playing position of the Saurashtra cricketer. Pujara would be eager to prove himself in the shortest format and justify his selection. CSK will take on DC on the 10th of April, 2021.

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