CHENNAI SUPERKINGS

On a day of intense bidding at the Indian Premier League player auction at the Hilton Towers in Mumbai, the Chennai Super Kings landed the most prized catch of them all – Indian ODI skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

The Super Kings paid US$1.5 million, the highest bid of the auction and believe he is worth every cent paid! "… for us, a player like that is priceless. He can create ripples with his game, and we can get our team to play around him," VB Chandrasekhar, Cricket Manager for the Chennai Super Kings said.

The absence of an icon player – who, by rule, would have to earn 15 per cent more than the highest-priced player on the team – worked in Chennai’s favour.

Apart from Dhoni, Chennai also procured the services of Sri Lankan spin-wizard Muttiah Muralitharan, Australians opening bat Matthew Hayden and Michael Hussey as well as Kiwis Stephen Fleming and all-rounder Jacob Oram. Two South Africans Albie Morkel and Makhaya Ntini comprise the international component of the Super Kings squad.

Wicket Keeper Batsman, Parthiv Patel who has been in scorching form lately and Joginder Sharma (famed for his last over in the ICC T20 Worldcup finals) and Suresh Raina comprise the Indians picked up in the first round of IPL auctions.

Dhoni’s presence and charismatic leadership of one of the strongest squads in the eight member league, is expected to attract a massive following in cricket mad Chennai. The city looks forward to seeing Chepauk set ablaze by the Super Kings.

Posted by Kevin Philip at 11:31 AM