GT vs CSK: MS Dhoni's muscle tear fake news? Stephen Fleming clears the air
Updated - 10 May 2024, 02:16 PM
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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming revealed the reason behind MS Dhoni batting lower down the order in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. Stephen Fleming stated that MS Dhoni had a muscle injury, which could impact his participation in the IPL 2024.
MS Dhoni remains a crucial member of CSK despite stepping down as captain. He's been batting lower down the order and came in at No. 9 in a recent game against the Punjab Kings (PBKS). The 42-year-old cricketer has scored 110 runs at an average of 55 and an outstanding strike rate of 224.49.
The wicketkeeper-batter remained not out in his first seven innings in the ongoing tournament. The right-handed batter was run out during a home match against the Punjab Kings. Dhoni was out for a golden duck in his recent match. He has also done a good job behind the stumps throughout the season.
We're Managing MS Dhoni's Workload - Stephen Fleming
During the pre-match press conference, Stephen Fleming highlighted the importance of managing MS Dhoni's workload to avoid risking his availability for the entire tournament. Fleming mentioned they aim to find a balance where Dhoni can contribute with the bat in death overs.
"We're managing his workload. It's risky, and we've seen that early on in the season with a little bit of muscle injury, that if he bats too long, we run the risk of losing him. So we're trying to find that balance where he can have an impact on the match by just hitting sixes and fours, which he's done pretty well and keep as well as some of the best in the competition, if not the best in the competition," Fleming said.
We're Valuing Some Other Things - Stephen Fleming
Stephen Fleming stated that the team management needs to manage MS Dhoni's workload this season. The 51-year-old emphasized that they want Dhoni on the field to provide tactical advice to the new captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, along with his batting prowess in the final overs.
"We've said earlier that when he recovered from knee surgery last year, which was quite debilitating for him, there was going to be a certain workload this year that he could manage. Now, one of our challenges is that we've got a good backup keeper, but he's no MS Dhoni and we want to keep MS Dhoni on the field, doing what he does best, which is the last two, three overs, four overs with the bat and his keeping and his ability to share tactical advice with the new captain is really important. So we're valuing some other things," Fleming added.
The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team is currently in fourth place in the standings with 12 points and a net run rate (NRR) of +0.700. The team will take on the Gujarat Titans (GT) in their next match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday, May 10.
The Chennai-based team needs to win at least two of their remaining three matches to secure a berth in the tournament.
