Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has admitted to being nervous on their return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) after the two-year exile.
Meanwhile, CSK will start their campaign against the defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) later today at iconic Wankhede.
Fleming admitted that the preparations have been well, but still there is an element going into the game.
“I think we’ve prepared well. Players want to get into it and we’ve had the best part of 12 days leading into the competition so the feeling is one of we’re ready to play. We’ve trained hard in the nets and in the practice games. There’s still the element of getting into the tournament and getting the team selections right,” Fleming said on an eve of the IPL opener.
Former New Zealand cricketer Fleming stressed that players will have no scars of the betting scandal.
“It doesn’t have an influence on the players. Players didn’t do anything to be scarred from,” Flemming said.
As a result of the scandal, CSK missed the previous two editions of the cash-rich T20 league.
The excitement around the opening fixture has gripped more as CSK will play against arch-rivals Indians. Both the teams play fierce cricket and have always produced exciting results from time-to-time.
“(It’s a) Great rivalry and this is what the competition needs. We couldn’t ask for a better game to start with. A game of this intensity at this ground is always a thrill. So the players are excited about it. Just as we are hard to beat at Chennai and that’s an aspect of successful teams, they defend their home patch well,” Fleming added.
Looking at the team combination, CSK have gone for experienced campaigners. Asked about having older players and their spin-heavy attack, Fleming defended their picks.
Stephen Fleming also added that although youngsters shine but it is the experienced cricketers that are vital to success.
“Not often do you see young players come out and see make a mark. People talk a lot about it but very rarely do young players shoot the lights out. I’m not sure when a young player came out and was the top run-scorer. Rashid Khan – you get some exceptions, Washington Sundar, but there’s only a handful whereas experienced players play major parts in the whole tournament so that’s why I value experience,” Fleming concluded.
