Harbhajan Singh confirms exit from CSK ahead of IPL 2021, thanks team management for beautiful memories

Updated Jan 20, 2021 | 12:43 IST

Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh has all but confirmed his exit from Chennai Super Kings ahead of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021.

Harbhajan Singh confirms exit from CSK ahead of IPL 2021, thanks team management for beautiful memories. | Photo Credit: IANS

Key Highlights

Harbhajan Singh has confirmed his exit from Chennai Super Kings ahead of IPL 2021

Harbhajan Singh spent three seasons with CSK but had not taken part in the tournament last year

Harbhajan Singh picked up 23 wickets in 24 matches in the IPL for Chennai Super Kings

Veteran Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has confirmed his exit from Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Harbhajan took to Twitter to thanks fans and the CSK team management for beautiful memories as his contract with the three-time champions concludes

Harbhajan had joined Chennai Super Kings ahead of the 2018 season for Rs 2 crore and spent three seasons with the franchise. Though he was part of the squad last year, he had pulled out of the tournament citing personal reasons and did not travel to UAE. Harbhajan had played an instrumental role in helping CSK reach the final of IPL 2019 with 16 wickets in 11 matches.

"As my contract comes to an end with @ChennaiIPL, playing for this team was a great experience..beautiful memories made &some great friends which I will remember fondly for years to come..Thank you @ChennaiIPL, management, staff and fans for a wonderful 2years.. All the best," Harbhajan wrote in a tweet.

As my contract comes to an end with @ChennaiIPL, playing for this team was a great experience..beautiful memories made &some great friends which I will remember fondly for years to come..Thank you @ChennaiIPL, management, staff and fans for a wonderful 2years.. All the best..
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) January 20, 2021

December 20 is the deadline for all eight IPL teams to conclude the retention process and confirm the list of the players they will be releasing ahead of the upcoming player auction. CSK are expected to let go of some big names ahead of the auction after finishing at a disappointing seventh spot last season in the UAE.

CSK will now need to rope in a replacement for not just opener Shane Watson, who had quit all forms of cricket last year but also Harbhajan. As per reports, CSK are also ready to let go of senior leg-spinner Piyush Chawla and batsman Murali Vijay ahead of the new season to bolster their remaining purse for the player auction.