IPL 2021: Stephen Fleming Describes MS Dhoni As The 'Heartbeat' Of CSK

Chennai Super Kings coach and former New Zealand skipper, Stephen Fleming has called MS Dhoni as the heartbeat of the franchise after the latter completed 200 IPL games. It was a stellar effort from Dhoni to have played for such a long time and has managed to miss very few games due to injury. His fitness levels have been outstanding over the years and can never be matched.

CSK managed to register their first win on board against Punjab Kings in their second game in this IPL edition yesterday in Dhoni’s 200th game. Deepak Chahar starred with the ball picking up four wickets and restricted Punjab to just 106 runs in their first innings. CSK chased down the score with six wickets in hand and cruised to victory.

“His Longevity Has To Be Mentioned And Appreciated” – Stephen Fleming

Head Coach Stephen Fleming mentioned Dhoni’s longevity in the IPL as an extraordinary achievement and termed him as the heartbeat of the franchise. He appreciated Dhonis’ efforts in taking the franchise to next level and also told that Dhoni has also grown in his stature.

“His longevity has to be mentioned and appreciated… to play 200 games and still have a desire to do well is a testament to his attitude towards the game and franchise, I think the franchise has grown and MS has grown with it, so it is a great relationship and great fun,” Stephen Fleming said

“He is the heartbeat of CSK, there’s no doubt about it. Whether it’s performance, guidance or leadership, you run out of things to say about him,” he added

Stephen Fleming Impressed By His Team’s Comeback

Stephen Fleming was very happy with his team’s performance in the second game after their loss against Delhi in the first game. Fleming lauded Deepak Chahar’s ability to swing the new ball with a lot of control and added that keeping it simple makes him very effective. He was highly impressed with his team’s comeback against Punjab.

“Really impressed with the way he bounced back after the first game. Without doubt, when Deepak gets a little bit of swing and a little bit of movement, he is one of the finest around. His ability to swing the ball is one. But his control and skill set is also very high.”

“The key is keeping him simple in his plans and just operating in and around the stumps. He is very effective when the ball swings. A great bounce back from a below-par performance in the first game,” Fleming added.

Dhoni and Fleming have part of the CSK setup from the inaugural edition in 2008 and have had a great bond.