Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming said skipper MS Dhoni finding his best touch in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 is a gradual process, as he hasn't had much hit in the middle for last one and a half years.
Dhoni, whose innings of 29 not out in 17 balls in CSK's defeat to Rajasthan Royals (RR) was much-scrutinised, didn't play any form of competitive cricket leading into the IPL 2020 since the 2019 World Cup semi-final versus New Zealand, which also became his last outing for India.
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Ahead of the next match versus Delhi Capitals (DC) on Friday (September 25), Fleming said he expects the 39-year-old wicketkeeper batsman to gain rhythm and momentum behind him with time as the tournament rolls on.
"MS is one of the players that hasn't played much cricket in the last year-and-a-half. Everyone expects MS to come out and do what he has done in the past. It doesn't just happen, it takes a bit of work," the coach was quoted as saying by PTI.
"A part of his process of getting up to speed is his game time and that (match against RR) was really the first time that he'd batted in the middle apart from a couple of balls against Mumbai Indians."
"As the tournament goes on, he'll just get better and better. To come in and expect him to get a 30-ball 70 would be a tough ask and we've other players also who are in good form and can do a job."
"So, it's valuing what each player can do and also respecting Dhoni is one of a kind when he's in form and has been playing," he added.
Despite criticism of the pace of Dhoni's innings at the beginning, CSK still only lost to RR by 16 runs chasing 217. One couldn't help but think it is the alarmingly expensive final over bowled by Lungi Ngidi in the first half that allowed the opposition to take the game away from Dhoni's men in Sharjah.
Fleming said the beating at the hands of RR's lower-order batsman Jofra Archer must've affected Ngidi's confidence.
"It will certainly hit Lungi's confidence hard, and the key thing for us is just for him to get better and analyse what he didn't quite get right and make sure that the next time he's in that opportunity he is better than what he was the last time," he said.
"It doesn't matter whether he goes for 30 or five or 10. Trying to get better all the time is what's important. We've one of the best death bowlers in the game in our squad and already Dwayne Bravo has been alongside him. We'll use the experience in the team to make sure he is okay and looks forward to the next opportunity he gets."
Fleming then talked about Ambati Rayudu, who won CSK the opening encounter versus Mumbai Indians (MI) with a solid half-century but then skipped the match against RR not feeling 100%.
"Rayudu is our in-form player and to lose him at that time (against RR) was disappointing. Hopefully it's only a couple of games," the coach said.
"We've got a six-day break after this (Friday's match against DC), and we are hoping that he'll be back for the game on October 2 (against Sunrisers Hyderabad)."
In a similar update on injured all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, Fleming added, "Bravo is progressing very well, and if he has a couple of good days of training, he could come into selection consideration for the next game. That would be a good headache for us to have as we're looking to introduce players and also get our best combination for the rest of the tournament."
"You don't necessarily pick your final-winning side in the first two or three games, but as soon as you can settle and get some cohesion into the team you are better off for, and that's what we are working towards now, giving new players opportunity and then settle."
In the build-up to the event, all the talk was about the impact that spin would have on tracks in UAE. The dew, however, has changed scenarios, with teams mostly preferring to bat second after winning the toss.
"Both games that we've played so far have been the first games of the tournament, in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, and to get a feel of the conditions we thought bowling first was the best way to go. It does seem to be a trend, but bowling first is a bit of an advantage with the dew (setting in later)," said Fleming, stressing also the challenge for CSK to find the best combination.
"One of the biggest challenges is to find the right combinations. We've got a number of players who haven't played for 12 months."
"We are working hard on a number of fronts, one is to get the right team for the conditions which we've been unsure about, and also to get the guys up to speed with their playing form."
"You can do as much practice and training as you like, but it doesn't completely replicate what happens in the middle. So, it was always going to be an interesting start for us. I think we'll take one from one with a lot of areas to improve," he signed off.
