Santner excited to play under MS Dhoni

New Delhi: Well aware of MS Dhoni’s lethal batting and his ability to destroy any opposition, New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner is relieved that he will be bowling the former India skipper in the nets rather than in a match situation in the 11^th edition of the Indian Premier League which begins in the first week of April.

Santner, who is currently the World No.1 T20 bowler, was bought by the Chennai based franchise for 50 lakhs in the players’ auction in January

"I'm happy I'll be bowling to (MS) Dhoni in the nets rather than in a match like I have been," said Santner, who was picked up by CSK for Rs 50 lakh in the IPL auctions last month.

The Kiwi said he was looking forward to joining the team and playing alongside experienced players like Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and others.

"I'm definitely looking forward to joining the culture at CSK, talking to and playing alongside experienced players such as skipper Dhoni, (Suresh) Raina and (Ravindra) Jadeja in a great team environment," the 26-year-old Santner said.

"I'm very excited to be a part of this year's IPL and looking forward to joining the Chennai family. The IPL is probably the biggest T20 competition in the world, so I am excited to showcase my skills on the big stage and ultimately help CSK win games and ideally the championship," he said.