IPL 2021: Stephen Fleming opens up on MS Dhoni's batting position in the coming games
Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming has answered the all-important question about skipper MS Dhoni's batting slot in the coming games.
Fleming explained on Monday that MS Dhoni is being shunted to the lower-order because the team is finding it difficult to manage the glut of batting resources. He added that Dhoni is a 'big part' of the team's plans and if the right opportunity comes up, he will bat higher up the order.
"A very difficult one of our challenges is managing the order because we have so many resources. But there will be opportunities where we would probably look to throw him (MS Dhoni) up as with (Ravindra) Jadeja and others and that's rather the challenges of our strategy. But at the moment we are just trying to be a solid order and look for simple parts of the game and what the conditions provide us in terms of how we can attack. We know we have got a lot of batting and the way we are playing is really encouraging. We haven't put together a perfect innings by any means but the skipper will be a big part of it going forward," said Stephen Fleming.
Stephen Fleming's observation comes against the backdrop of CSK's clinical 45-run win over the Rajasthan Royals. MS Dhoni came to bat at No. 7 and scored a dissonant 18 off 17 balls before giving a catch off a slower ball to extra cover. He batted at the same position in the team's first game, scoring a 2-ball duck.
MS Dhoni's form is returning: Stephen Fleming
MS Dhoni hasn't played any competitive cricket between the 2020 and 2021 editions of the IPL so the rustiness he is exhibiting is expected. Speaking on the subject, Stephen Fleming remarked that the 39-year-old's form is 'restoring' and will only get better as he spends more time in the middle.
"Yes, his form is restoring, every time he gets some balls in the middle he's going to get better and better," suggested Stephen Fleming.
CSK will now play Eoin Morgan's Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday, April 21.