"An ageing horse to accompany Dhoni"- Twitterati react as CSK sign Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara will make his comeback to the IPL after a seven-year-long absence. The Indian batsman was picked up by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the IPL 2021 auction at a base price of INR 50 lakhs.

The 33-year-old has consistently been overlooked by many franchises as he is considered to be more suited to the longest format of the game. However, CSK have shown faith in the veteran Indian batsman and he will be itching to prove his credentials as a white-ball player.

Twitterati has mixed reactions to CSK signing Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara has played some heroic knocks for Team India of late. Many fans were delighted that the resilient right-hander was given a chance to show his mettle in the shortest format.

Others, however, were baffled by CSK's decision to sign the 33-year-old. Some fans suggest that Cheteshwar Pujara may have to sacrifice county cricket just to warm the bench at CSK. This is what they had to say:

CSK bought Cheteshwar Pujara just for jokes. Don't tell me otherwise. #IPL2021Auction

— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) February 18, 2021

Pujara Bhai in full swag thanks to CSK. pic.twitter.com/nut6ExqePs

— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) February 18, 2021

An applause in the Auction Room as CSK gets Pujara for 50L. Well played! 👏🏼 #IPLAuctions2021

— Ajith Ramamurthy (@Ajith_tweets) February 18, 2021

Pujara's county season chances may have just gone up in smoke with CSK picking him.

— Shashank Kishore (@captainshanky) February 18, 2021

CSK buy Pujara!What a buy. What a buy. What a buy. He can bat through the season for them.

— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) February 18, 2021

Pujara can arrest collapse? The whole problem with CSK last year was they are too slow *to cause any collapse*.

— Alagappan Vijayakumar (@IndianMourinho) February 18, 2021

Cheteshwar Pujara has long been desperate to make a mark in white-ball cricket (smashed a century sometime back, 2019 SMAT iirc). So, delighted for him. But frustrating if he's going to just warm the bench at CSK (he will) and miss out on a possible red-ball stint elsewhere.

— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) February 18, 2021

CSK have bought Pujara so that he can practise against Hazlewood, Moeen and Ngidi. National team over IPL. 👍🏻 #IPLAuction2021

— Manya (@CSKian716) February 18, 2021

That moment when you realise you will have to bowl again to @cheteshwar1 in the nets @ChennaiIPL #IPLAuction #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/hT2zzqn3Jq

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) February 18, 2021

Only thing I am looking forward is if IPL to happen in Chennai. And Fleming preparing dustbowl like 2nd Test match with Tahir, Moeen, Jadeja and Santner all playing with Pujara scoring 42(63) and winning match for CSK. 🙏 #IPL2021Auction

— Superman (@TheSooperman) February 18, 2021

CSK will never get all out 😂 Pujara will always be not out batsman

— AFC Sparta (@FplSparta) February 18, 2021

CSK will be playing out sessions for fun in the next season.#IPLAuction #pujara

— Jinu James (@Jinxed_it) February 18, 2021

Cheteshwar Pujara is going to open for #CSK from the first match in #IPL2021 .Mark this tweet.

— Ritesh Mahato (@Ritesh_7l) February 18, 2021

Moeen Ali is a good buy. But what was #CSK thinking when they bought #Pujara 🤦🏻‍♂️ #IPLAuction2021

— æBîR (@19abir84) February 18, 2021

CSK management played pretty well they bought Pujara so that if Dhoni fails they can blame Pujara. #IPL2021Auction

— gajender (@gajender00) February 18, 2021

Thank you @ChennaiIPL @msdhoni for allowing @cheteshwar1 the respect he so thoroughly deserves. Very happy CSK went for Pujara #IPL2021Auction #Pujara

— Sumit Singh (@im_sumitkr95) February 18, 2021

Cheteshwar Pujara buying of CSK is pure nonsense and looks like they just brought a aging horse to acompany dhoni.

— Amit Kumar (@amitkumarz) February 18, 2021

Cheteshwar Pujara has scored just 390 runs in the 30 IPL games he has played, at a strike-rate of less than a run-a-ball. However, he has scored 1356 runs in 64 T20s and has a hundred to his name in the shortest format.

Pujara has always been vocal about his desire to play white-ball cricket for India consistently. This could be a great opportunity for him to reignite his hopes of donning the blue jersey again.

It will be interesting to see where CSK play Cheteshwar Pujara, as they have also acquired Robin Uthappa from the Rajasthan Royals via a trade. Uthappa may open the batting with talented youngster Ruturaj Gaikwad, who did well towards the end of last season.

With Suresh Raina likely to be back at No.3, Pujara may not get a look-in at the start of the IPL 2021 season. However, considering CSK's batting woes in the IPL 2020 season, they will be glad to have acquired another specialist batsman.