Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will miss the services of Moeen Ali for the next few games due to an ankle injury, but head coach Stephen Fleming is hopeful of the England all-rounder’s recovery in a week's time.
Moeen had sustained the injury during a training session last Saturday (April 24). He didn’t feature in CSK’s recent clash against Punjab Kings on Monday (April 26), which the defending champions lost by 11 runs.
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"He rolled his ankle, X-Rays revealed there was no fracture but there is always a recovery period maybe seven days. We are hopeful the recovery will be quick given that there is no fracture," Fleming said at the post-match press conference on Monday.
CSK are dealing with a number of injury concerns this season. Pacers Deepak Chahar and Adam Milne have been already ruled out of the tournament.
During the game against PBKS, Ambati Rayudu bruised his hand while fielding in the first innings and needed treatment.
Rayudu then top-scored for CSK in the chase with 39-ball 78 but failed to take his team over the line.
"The first check was around the break and his hand was bruising. It was just a case of icing that and getting that down and I think a little padding around the glove.
"It was the same hand that was broken sometime back, so it's still pretty tender and a knock like that can obviously cause some damage," Fleming said.
The CSK coach defended the decision to send Ravindra Jadeja ahead of MS Dhoni, who won a last-over thriller against Mumbai Indians in the previous outing.
"We lost the wicket in the 12th (13th) over, pretty close to when we've seen MS Dhoni come in in the last 13 years, but today it was in the 12th over.
"We had this discussion a lot, MS' best time is from about 15 overs onwards and Jadeja has played some good innings for us from the stage and we don't throw that out based on 1-2 games."
When asked if U-19 World Cup star Rajvardhan Hangargekar will be give a chance considering CSK's depleted bowling unit, Fleming said: "at some stage, but we have to be careful I know he's performed really well at the U-19 level but this (IPL) is a step up."
"We are very conscious of the skills that he needs, we don't want to throw him and do damage, we want make sure we realise that potential he's got. He is on an excellent program with us and has made big gains already and if the opportunity arrives this season we will use him."
(With PTI inputs)
