Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming on Saturday acknowledged that the five-time winners are “hanging on by the thread” and said the team will not hesitate to bring in new faces ahead of experienced players in the second half of the IPL if the next two matches do not pan out as per the plans. CSK, who are languishing at the 10th spot with only two wins in seven games, have always chalked out strategies around experienced players, generally keeping the greenhorns on the bench till they mature enough to walk into the team set up.
“It’s a delicate phase isn’t it? We are still in the competition but we are hanging on by the thread, trying to find a balance between giving the guys an extended run to show some form and also, wanting to get results,” Fleming told the media on the eve of CSK’s match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.
“Unfortunately, the position we find ourselves in, we have run out of time to be too patient. On the other hand, we don’t want to keep chopping and changing, trying to find the magic formula, quite possibly our tournament has been that far.
“We’ve got eyes on the season, but we’ve also got a little bit of a look forward, making sure that we are developing players for the future and that might be the second half of the season, if it doesn’t go well over the next couple of games,” he said.
Without taking any specific names that CSK would want to try out, Fleming said the team’s current situation brings all players in the squad into the equation.
“Our results to date have brought all the squad members into play. It’s been our tradition in the past to stick with more experienced players and they’ve given us the results that we were after,” he said.
“But when you don’t get the results you’re looking for, all the squad members and philosophies are tested and certainly, you’ve seen by the addition of players and the use of players, that we will be using more players this year in the squad than what we have done before,” he said.
“We’re still focused very much on being part of this tournament right to the end. It’s going to take some doing, but it’s that determination within CSK that’s got us there before,” he added.
Fleming, however, pointed out a few players who can be the next bunch of CSK’s mainstays.
“We’ve got a few, actually. (Ramakrishna) Ghosh is one. He is an all-rounder. I think he has got a nice future. Ayush (Mhatre) has just joined us. He was impressive in trials, but he’s really young in terms of experience,” he said.
“Shaik Rasheed’s been with us for a while. There are a number of other guys who have played quite a bit. They’re all good players, and it’s just where they will fit in at the moment.
Fleming said CSK have some good pacers too in their barn.
“Probably the batting is the weakest side of it, so batting is getting the focus. But we’ve got a nice crop of seam bowlers as well who are doing well. We’ve seen Mukesh Chowdhury come in.” “(Anshul) Kamboj has now got that spot. We’re actually really happy with the squad. It’s just how we’re performing and where we can get more out of it,” he said.
Fleming said CSK expect more from opener Rachin Ravindra despite the Kiwi player being their highest run-getter this season.
“Rachin has been good, he has been so very pleasant on the eye (but) we just need a little bit more and he is aware of that,” he said.
“I thought he was very good in the last game, very accurate with what he is doing and in the first game, very smart when we won against Mumbai. It’s all there (but) It’s just we need a little bit more.
“It’s middling to be fair. We need good to excellent if we’re going to stay in this competition and keep getting better,” he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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