Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming heaped praise on young opener Ruturaj Gaikwad after he played remarkable innings against Mumbai Indians (MI) in the first game of the second phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) on Sunday (September 19).
Gaikwad played a match-winning knock of 88* off 58 balls laced with 9 fours and 4 sixes after CSK lost its 4 wickets for just 24 runs inside the powerplay to help the MS Dhoni-led franchise to post 156/6 in the allotted 20 overs against MI in Dubai.
Later, Dwayne Bravo (3/25) and Deepak Chahar (2/19) finished the job for the CSK as the three-time IPL champions crushed the defending champions MI by 20 runs in Dubai on Sunday to take the top spot in the IPL 2021 points table.
After resuming their IPL 14 campaign on a winning note, Fleming lauded Gaikwad and said he absorbed the pressure brilliantly while playing a remarkable inning against MI on Sunday.
Fleming said at the post-match press conference: “Today's innings was very special. It's okay to play an innings in a high-scoring game and dominate. But when you're the one to get a score to give your team a chance, then that's even more special.
So, the way he went about his work, it had really absorbing pressure and then the ability to accelerate as the innings went on, it really was down to his hand, that we were able to create any pressure whatsoever. So, it was a remarkable innings from him.”
He continued, “It was very special, as you know, we've had very big taps on him (Ruturaj) for some time. Even last time we were here, we rushed him back, probably too early given the shape he was in from COVID, but that's how much regard and respect we have for his ability. But the way he finished off the IPL here in Dubai last year, set him up for the first part in India.”
Giving an update on Chahar and Ambati Rayudu’s fitness, the coach said: “Rayudu X-ray was clear. So, it was just a bad bruise at the stage and he lost a little bit of power on his grip. So, yeah, we were up feared for that it could be broken, but the good news, it is not.
And Deepak was cramped and will check that out tomorrow. So hopefully fingers crossed, they both will come through reasonably, okay.”
Read Also: IPL 2021: MI stand-in skipper Kieron Pollard rues giving 'too many' runs in death overs
Fleming also opened up about Dhoni’s decision to bat ahead of Ravindra Jadeja against MI, saying: “It is very much (based on the) situation. In India, we had some really good starts and we looked at the left and right-hand combination. So, we're getting into the back end of the innings.”
He signed off by saying, “When the captain made the call today it was much different. We haven't been in this situation for some time, if at all. So, the captain wanted the responsibility and it was right, so it was a good call but it's very much situational and just a little bit of a gut feel in the match situation, with a left-hander or MS goes up. So, it's good to have those options.”
(With PTI Inputs)
