As the countdown for the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 begins, Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) batsman Robin Uthappa is aiming to achieve a personal milestone in the upcoming season of the lucrative T20 league starting April 9.
The 35-year-old has had a poor IPL 2020 season with Rajasthan Royals, scoring just 196 runs in 12 matches in the UAE, resulting in they have traded veteran batsman to three-time IPL winners CSK for the upcoming IPL 14. Well, Uthappa’s preparations are in full swing to have a good season with CSK.
With the IPL 2021 just 8 days away, the right-hander has revealed that he wants to become the first player to score 1,000 runs in a single IPL season apart from contributing to as many victories as possible for CSK in the upcoming tournament.
Uthappa told ESPNcricinfo, “My personal goal will be to contribute to as many victories as possible, win at least a handful of games for my team. I would love to be the first guy to score 1,000 runs in a single IPL season.”
The current record for most runs in a single IPL season is held by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli, who reeled off 973 runs in IPL 2016 with four centuries to his name.
He is also keen to play against the Mumbai Indians, saying beating the five-time IPL champions and current titleholders in the upcoming IPL 2021 will send a message across the board.
The wicketkeeper-batsman added, “Mumbai Indians will be the team I will be looking to play against. They are a formidable side and beating them will send a message across the board.”
Uthappa also revealed that he is learning about batting biomechanics as well as started a coaching course with the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangaluru. He has also termed winning the Orange Cap and the IPL trophy in 2014 as his favorite moments in the history of IPL.
He signed off by saying, “I am learning a lot about batting biomechanics, something I’m truly understanding about and I am actually doing a coaching course at the moment with the NCA.”
Noteworthy, CSK will kick start their IPL 14 campaign against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 10.
(With ESPNcricinfo Inputs)
