Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni has managed to score only 18 runs from 27 balls against the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday (October 4). While he received a lot of criticisms from nearly everyone for his slow knock, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming backed him.
After the game, Fleming shared how MS Dhoni was not the only batsman to struggle on the day. He stated that the conditions were difficult to bat and because of that, both sides struggled to do well towards the end of their innings. He also shared that they fell about 10-15 runs shy of a match-winning total in the crucial match.
“MS Dhoni wasn’t the only one who struggled. It was a difficult day for strokeplay. I think it was a tough wicket to score big on in terms of the big shots. Both teams struggled with that towards the end of the innings. Sometimes you set your sights too high, and probably we were only 10-15 runs short of having a match-winning score,” he added.
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Stephen Fleming continued: “So, the difficulty at the moment is to assess what the conditions are in all three different grounds and, batting first, getting a score that is par or just above. It was no lack of intent, it was just we had to stabilise after a couple of mistakes and then we were reasonably well-placed for 150. The other thing was their attack bowled very well in the last five overs. They were very smart, so it was tough going.”
However, CSK has managed to post a small total of 136 after being put in to bat first. Ambati Rayudu could manage to score an unbeaten knock of 55. Delhi, eventually won the game by three wickets as well. But they too faced a tough time because of Chennai bowlers and Krishnappa Gowtham made it tough when he grabbed Shimron Hetmyer’s catch at long-on in the 18th-over of their run chase.
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After the match, MS Dhoni said: “We were looking to get closer to 150. After we lost a few wickets, around the 15-16th over mark the platform was nice. We failed to accelerate. I thought it was a tough pitch. Anything close to 150 would’ve been a good score. It’s a two-paced wicket. It’s not like it slowed down drastically. Can’t just play your shots. That’s what the Delhi batters also faced. The taller bowlers were getting movement. It was a very good effort to make a game out of it. Was important not to give too many in the first six. Was one expensive over in the first six, but when quality players are batting it can happen.”
