Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming has bumped out at critics over MS Dhoni’s form, stating it’s not right to scrutinize someone who hasn’t played competitive cricket across the last 18 months. The former New Zealand captain said the CSK skipper will get greater as he employs more time in the center.
Stephen Fleming’s remarks come after MS Dhoni employed questionable strategy to bat lower down the middle order against Rajasthan Royals in Sharjah earlier this week.
MS Dhoni lowered himself down the order and stepped in at No. 7 despite the asking rate exploding up in Chennai Super Kings’ failed hunt of 217 in Sharjah. Dhoni appeared in the middle when 103 were required off 38 balls. The CSK skipper kept hitting singles and succeeded just 9 runs in 12 balls until the 19th over. Dhoni hit 3 heavy sixes in the final over but CSK had now lost the game by then.
“MS Dhoni is one of the players that hasn’t played much cricket in the last year-and-a-half. Everyone expects MS to come out and do what he has done in the past. It doesn’t just appear, it takes a bit of work and a part of his process of becoming up to speed is his game time,” Fleming recited as saying by CSK’s official website.
“And that (match against Rajasthan Royals) was really the first time that he’d batted in the center apart from a couple of balls against Mumbai Indians. As the tournament runs on, he’ll just get better and better,” he added
“To come in and expect him to get a 30-ball 70 would be a tough ask and we’ve other players also who are in solid form and can do a job. So, it’s valuing what specific player can do, and also respecting Dhoni is one of a kind when he’s in form and has been playing.”
Having lost to Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings will be expecting to get back to winning ways. However, they face an added test as they take on in-form Delhi Capitals in Dubai on Friday