‘Dhoni knows he’s not going to bat for long…’: Fleming says CSK captain ‘pushing really hard’ for big hits in IPL 2023

Chennai Super Kings sealed a 27-run victory vs Delhi Capitals in Match 55 of IPL 2023, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday.

Defending a target of 168 runs, CSK restricted DC to 140/8 in 20 overs, with Matheesha Pathirana taking three wickets anf Deepak Chahar bagging two. Meanwhile, Rilee Roussouw played a knock of 35 runs off 37 balls for Delhi.

Initially, CSK posted 167/8 in 20 overs, with Shivam Dube smacking 25 runs off 12 balls. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ambati Rayudu also played key knocks. Gaikwad slammed 24 off 18 deliveries and Rayudu registered 23 off 17 balls. For DC’s bowling department, Mitch March scalped three wickets and Axar Patel took two.

The first innings also saw CSK captain MS Dhoni have an important quickfire cameo. The wicketkeeper-batter came to bat in the 17th over, and was dismissed in the second-last delivery of the innings. He slammed 20 runs off nine balls at a strike rate of 222.22, packed with one four and two sixes.

Speaking after the match, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming had special praise for Dhoni and also revealed training approach in IPL 2023. “He’s just training a certain way, he knows he’s not going bat for a long time. He concentrated more on the last three overs. He’s not as mobile between the wickets although today he pushed really hard. So, he’s concentrated on really strong hitting practice,” he said.

“You can see the benefits of that. He is just very comfortable being able to play around the ground. We know how good a hitter her is and his access in certain areas is still very strong. That cameo again at the end was valuable in a hard-fought 20 overs”, he further added.

CSK have also put in a difference approach in their playing style this season, in comparison to previous campaigns. The franchise has been aggressive, with batters playing risky shots. Fleming explained, “It’s a reflection of the way games now are played, the players play with more high risks and the way you compose an innings is a little bit different, so I’m happy with the cameos if it keeps pushing you above par.”

“What you’ve seen today, maybe a 160 wicket was turned into almost a possible 175-10 because we had positive intent through partnerships and guys playing aggressively. Dube is a good example of that, Rayudu and then MS in the end. We created enough to get ahead of the game, which we are happy with, even though we lost seven wickets”, he added.

After the win, CSK are second in the points table with 15 points in 12 matches, including seven wins and four defeats. They face Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday, in their second-last match of the league phase, and they will be hoping to stretch their winning form and qualify for the playoffs.