Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming showed frustration in a press conference after their first loss of the IPL 2025 season to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Chepauk on Friday (March 28).

Fleming called a reporter’s question about CSK’s playing style "silly" and defended their approach, emphasizing the difficulties in adapting to the Chepauk pitch.

The match marked CSK’s first defeat of the season while RCB secured their first victory at the MA Chidambaram Stadium since 2008, winning by 50 runs.

During the post-match presser, Fleming vented out his frustration on the journalist, who was critical of CSK's brand of cricket.

Here’s how the exchange unfolded:

Reporter: "In the first game, you chased 156 in almost 20 overs. Today, you scored 146. I know this is your way of playing cricket, but do you think it's kind of getting outdated?"

Fleming: "What do you mean by my way of playing? You talk about firepower. We have got firepower all the way through. I don't understand this question. Just because we don't swing from ball No.1 and have some luck go our way, just see at the end, who wins it. It is a positive brand of cricket. Don't discount us."

Reporter: "I am not discounting you."

Fleming: "You sort of are. Silly question."

The CSK coach also dismissed the talks of home advantage, claiming that they have not been able to read the pitch and conditions in recent years.

"Well, as we've been telling you for a number of years, there was no home advantage at Chepauk. We've won away from home a couple of times. And we haven't been able to read... we've been really honest with you," Fleming said.

"We haven't been able to read the wickets here in the last couple of years. So, it's not new. We are trying to come to grips each day with what we get, and we don't know. It's not the Chepauk [of old] where you can just go in and play four spinners. We're having to work really hard to try and understand what the nature of each pitch is, and it's quite different," he added.

Coming to the match, RCB posted a massive score of 196/7 on the board after being asked to bat first. Skipper Rajat Patidar led his team from the front as he slammed a magnificent half-century (51 of 32) while Tim David (22* off 8) provided a strong finish with three consecutive sixes in the final over.

In reply, CSK finished their innings on 146/8 in 20 overs. Josh Hazlewood (3/21 in 4 overs), Yash Dayal (2/18 in 3 overs), and Liam Livingstone (2/28 in 4 overs) ran through Chennai’s batting line-up.