Sold For $600,000, Muttiah Muralitharan Was CSK’s Second Preference After MS Dhoni In IPL 2008 Auction

That former India captain MS Dhoni was going to be an all-out pick for Chennai Super Kings during the first-ever Indian Premier League auction in 2008 is quite a popular fact. Having decided not to rope in an icon player before the auction, CSK’s think-tank had not only played a clever game with the dream of the other franchises to have a World Cup-winning captain under their wings, but had also made up their mind to splurge any amount to acquire his services.

Apart from Dhoni, Chennai also had their keen eyes on Muttiah Muralitharan in their ultimate 25-member squad for the inaugural IPL season. The same was revealed by the legendary spinner himself during his recent interaction with popular YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia on his podcast named The Ranveer Show.

Muttiah Muralitharan Was CSK’s Second Preference After MS Dhoni In IPL 2008 Auction

A successful bid for Dhoni had almost immediately followed with the acquisition of Muralitharan’s services as well. Speaking to Ranveer Allahabadia, Muralitharan disclosed that after having Dhoni, CSK owner N Srinivasan and operations manager VB Chandrasekhar had decided that he would be their next preferred pick.

“What VB [Chandrasekhar] told me is that they have a strategy but first they wanted [MS] Dhoni at any cost. Then, next one they wanted was me, that’s what he told me. So, in the first event five-six people came in, myself and Dhoni came in the first event and they [CSK] got both of us.”

Having provided them his services during the first three seasons of the marquee league, Muralitharan was roped in by the franchise for $600,000. During this period, he scalped 40 wickets across as many innings at an economy and strike rate 6.37 and 23.40 respectively.

The highest wicket-taker in international cricket was also part of the team’s title-winning run during Champions League Twenty20 2010, where he picked 12 wickets across six innings at a stellar average and economy rate of 11 and 5.69 respectively.

Muttiah Muralitharan Reveals How CSK Had Bought Australian Players Cheaply

During IPL 2008 auction, CSK had roped in a couple of high-profile Australian batters namely Matthew Hayden and Michael Hussey. While Hayden was roped in for $375,000, Hussey had costed them $350,000.

In the above video, Muralitharan also revealed how the franchise had benefited due to the anti-Australian sentiments in the auction room, which perhaps had to to with the infamous Monkeygate scandal in Sydney just the previous month. Thus, superstars in Hussey and Hayden were nothing less than steals for Chennai at the aforementioned prices.

“What happened at the time was, that India and Australia had a little bit of grudge before that series. There were so many fights and everything. So, anti-Australian feelings were there in the IPL that time. So, [Michael] Hussey and Matthew Hayden came very cheap. Chennai grabbed it and we got the advantage.”

While CSK never really went all out in the acquisition of an Australian player at the auction table during the years to follow, former all-rounder Shane Watson‘s signing during IPL 2018 auction stands out as he was paid four times his base price of INR 1 crore.