Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming pointed to their struggles in the powerplay as the key reason for their narrow six-run loss to Rajasthan Royals on Sunday. He admitted that those first six overs cost them the game.
While Rajasthan raced to 79/1 in their powerplay, CSK managed only 42 runs in comparison. Chasing a target of 183, CSK found themselves at 5/1 in the first three overs, thanks to some fiery short-pitched bowling from Jofra Archer and Tushar Deshpande.
“If you break down the game, it really comes down to the two powerplays,” Fleming said after the match in Guwahati. “We conceded almost 80 runs (79) with the ball, while we only managed 42 with the bat. That’s the big difference on the scoreboard. Plus, we were a bit sloppy in the field, whereas Rajasthan were outstanding.”
CSK hasn’t had the best start to the season either. After winning their opener, they’ve now suffered back-to-back losses in just over 48 hours. One of their biggest concerns has been the batting unit’s inability to put up big scores. Fleming acknowledged that adjusting to a new squad in the start of a fresh three-year cycle comes with its own challenges.
“The beginning of a three-year cycle is always tricky, especially when you’re slightly out of form. We’re pushing hard to find that rhythm, but we’re making mistakes in the process,” he explained. “That said, we weren’t far off today. While our first six overs with the ball weren’t great, the next 14 were outstanding. You can see the potential is there. We just need to be a bit better with the bat.”
Despite Rajasthan finally getting their first win of the season, it wasn’t a perfect all-round performance. Instead, individual brilliance played a big role—Nitish Rana’s explosive 81 off 36 balls and Wanindu Hasaranga’s 4/35 kept CSK on the back foot.
Fleming was full of praise for both players. “Nitish Rana played really well. He handled the bounce and seam early on and gave them a great start,” he said.
“(Wanindu Hasaranga) picked up some key wickets. On another day, it could have been an opportunity for us, but I think Riyan Parag’s catch to dismiss Shivam Dube was the turning point in the match. The Dube match-up was going our way, but Hasaranga showed real courage. He gave the ball air, and in this tournament, that can either get you wickets or go the distance. But he backed himself, and you have to respect that.”
With several top and middle-order batters struggling for form, questions have been raised about why MS Dhoni hasn’t been pushed up the order. However, Fleming defended the decision, emphasizing the other vital roles Dhoni plays in the team.
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“MS knows his body. His knees aren’t what they used to be, and while he’s moving okay, there’s still a workload factor to consider. He can’t be running full throttle for 10 overs,” Fleming explained. “He makes that call based on how he’s feeling. If the game is in the balance, he’ll come in a bit earlier. Otherwise, he backs the other guys to do the job.
“I said it last year—he’s too valuable to us in terms of leadership and wicketkeeping. We’re not going to throw him in to bat at 9 or 10 overs. He’s never really done that. From around the 13th or 14th over, he starts looking at when to go in, depending on who’s already out there.”
Despite CSK’s position in the table, Fleming remains hopeful. “I was a bit grumpy after the last game, mainly because of how we read the wicket and how we played. But today, we were in the fight, and I’m okay with that. We can improve, and that excites me. But time moves quickly in this tournament.
“We’ve won one out of three—it’s not the end of the world. This competition is unpredictable. Teams are beating each other, and while a couple of teams are leading at the top, what really matters is how we bounce back. Going back home, I just hope we get a pitch that suits us and helps us play to our strengths. We did some good things today, but there are still areas we need to tidy up.”
