Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Thursday (September 30) became the first team to reach the IPL 2021 playoffs, which offers the side opportunity to manage their players’ workload, but CSK head coach Stephen Fleming has made it clear that they “won't be too experimental”.
On Thursday, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 6 wickets in 44th match of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) in Sharjah and sealed a place in the IPL 14 playoffs. Three-time IPL winner CSK now have 18 points from 11 games in the points table.
With three more league games remaining in the ongoing IPL 14 and after becoming first team to reach the playoffs, CSK may look to manage their veteran players' workload, but Fleming has insisted that the team will not take its foot off the pedal, as they are aiming to qualify for the final on October 15.
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Fleming said at the virtual post-match conference, “I’m not big on momentum. Momentum can go as quick as you have it. We don't really talk about that. What we’ve probably been afforded is that we can manage workloads of players a bit better. We’ve got a day and travel to Abu Dhabi and a day and then a game. The opportunities for guys who are on the fringe... we’ve afforded that luxury now. But we won't be too experimental.”
He said of CSK’s late winning run in the IPL 2020: “I think I mentioned it at that time. We were really proud of the way we finished. The way we won the last four games in a row and started to get a little bit of rhythm together. In the first half of the tournament, a number of things went wrong.
Our form and confidence were really low but the way we finished was really encouraging and gave us the look of what we could be. We sat down and analyzed to get competitive and took confidence out of it and knew it was just a couple of positions that might make a better balanced side.”
The CSK coach also pointed out, “In fact though it was a bad year, we were only a win away from a semi-final. Just about trying to create a balanced side that would suit us. It was just about creating an environment that was positive and making sure there was no doubt.”
Fleming was impressed with the performance of the West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo in the second half of the IPL 2021 in the UAE. He noted, “It was a really good competition between Dwayne Bravo and Sam Curran. Sam was excellent in the first part. Bravo has come back now and the champion that he is... He is back to his best and his bowling in the death overs has been outstanding.”
The coach added, “It's really good that two very good players are competing for the all-rounder' spot and getting the best out of each other. Maybe, we can have an opportunity where they both play together. We are impressed with the way Bravo has addressed the challenge.”
On the struggling Suresh Raina, who has scored 157 runs from 11 game so far in the IPL 14, Fleming said: “We have a pretty clear role for him. He has got an optimal time. We want him to bat and we've afforded the luxury of a player coming out and being aggressive.”
He signed off by saying, “So, just getting the timing right without managing the batters. We value his experience and everything has got a part to play in the middle. Suresh is an experienced player who has earned a bit of a leeway and as the tournament goes on, his performance will improve.”
(With PTI Inputs)
