Chennai Super Kings suffered their second consecutive loss, falling to Rajasthan Royals by six runs. Following the match, CSK's Head Coach, Stephen Fleming, addressed the frequently asked question regarding MS Dhoni's batting position.
In their third league stage game held in Guwahati, Chennai Super Kings opted to bowl first and managed to restrict Rajasthan Royals to 183 runs after they had a quick start. Despite having a manageable target to chase, CSK fell short, losing by six runs due to a slow start during the powerplay.
There has been considerable speculation from fans and experts about MS Dhoni's batting order, as he batted at number 9 against RCB and came in at number 7 against RR in this match. When questioned about this, Stephen Fleming explained that it is primarily due to Dhoni's fitness concerns and a knee problem he has been dealing with for a long time.
"Yeah, it's a time thing," Fleming said. "MS judges it. His knees aren’t what they used to be. He’s moving okay, but there’s still an attrition aspect to it. He can't bat 10 overs at full throttle, so he will gauge on the day what he can give us. If the game is in the balance, like today, he will come in a little earlier, and he trusts other players when opportunities arise. So he’s balancing that.”
Fleming also noted that the team prefers for MS Dhoni to bat after the 14th over to maximize his impact during the crucial final overs, depending on the match situation. “I said it last year as well.
He’s too valuable to us, both in terms of leadership and wicket-keeping, to throw him in with only nine or ten overs left. He has actually never done that. So, look, from around 13-14 overs, he’s looking to go depending on who’s at the crease,” Fleming stated.
Chennai Super Kings have had a poor start to the tournament, losing two matches in a row. While their bowling has been commendable, their batting has not performed to expectations. CSK has traditionally relied on their openers, and this season, the new opening pair of Rachin Ravindra and Rahul Tripathi has averaged only 3 in their first three matches, which is concerning for the team. The management will be looking to reunite the successful opening pair of Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad to address these issues.
Chennai Super Kings will next face the in-form Delhi Capitals at Chepauk on April 5, giving them four days to practice and make a comeback from this setback. Stay tuned for more updates.
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