Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming reckoned MS Dhoni is the most valuable player to have on the field and also denied the rumours of his injuries reports. The four-time champions lost their first match against defending champions by five wickets in Ahmedabad.
Speaking to the media, after their loss against Gujarat Titans, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming refused MS Dhoni’s injury claim, stating that he had a sore knee during the pre-season and claimed that it had cramps during the bowling innings of CSK.
“He was always playing, not sure where that story came from. He was nursing a sore knee throughout the month of pre-season, but today it was just cramps; it wasn’t the knee. He’s not going to be as quick and nimble as he was 15 years ago, but he is still a great leader of the side, and, even with the bat, he is still going to play a part. He knows his limitations, and he is a valuable player to have on the field. He is a legend, isn’t he?” Stephen Fleming said.
Many experts criticized the CSK skipper for coming down the order, as he had only a few balls to face at the back end of the innings, as Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja were promoted up the order but failed to score runs for the teams.
There Has Been Some Big Improvement – Stephen Fleming On Hangargekar’s Performance
CSK head coach Stephen Fleming lauded the youngster Rajvardhan Hangargekar who claimed three wickets in his debut in Indian Premier League, praised him for his impressive performance in domestic cricket, and added they will continue to work with him in the upcoming days.
“There has been some big improvement. His first-class work has been a lot more consistent. There are areas he still needs to work on till you are comfortable. Playing in front of 100 thousand people on your debut is a big ask. He did well. There were some lapses, which is going to come with a young player. But getting some rewards and getting some wickets under his belt is huge for him. We will continue working with him,” he added.
Hangargekar who was very impressive during their U19 days finally made his IPL debut and lived up to the expectation. He showed excellent composure under pressure and was the only bright spot for CSK in their bowling department. The 20-year-old is still definitely raw and touted to have a breakthrough season this year.