IPL 2018: Stephen Fleming Admits CSK Still Getting Used to Pune Pitch

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) coach Stephen Fleming made the admission by saying that they are still trying to adjust to the second-home surface in Pune after their eight wickets thumping loss to defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) on Saturday (April 28) night.

Meanwhile, Chennai had to relocate to Pune in the aftermath of Cauvery Water Dispute. They only played one game in their bastion.

However, it was easy to find a new home with so many venues putting their hands up to host the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) one of the giant teams, but CSK opted to settle at the Maharastra Cricket Association Stadium (MCA).

But the migration changed many things – the pitch, the weather and the ground diameters which Chennai’s chief coach Fleming said the team is still trying to adjust.

“The biggest thing for us is to get to know this pitch as this is not Chennai and we picked a side on the basis of Chennai surface. So we are learning like anyone else. It was just our second game over here so we have to work extra hard to get home advantage. We have learnt a little bit again today and now we have got only a day to get our combination right for Delhi,” said Fleming.

The former New Zealand cricketer Fleming also cited many differences this pitch has from the Chennai one. He admitted that the grass is little less here in Pune and the bounce is also different.

The veteran cricketer also revealed that in Pune the side boundaries are a bit smaller as to Chennai.

However, he is confident of fielding the right team in the next game.

Meanwhile, Dhoni played with three spinners in the form Ravindra Jadeja, Imran Tahir, and Harbhajan Singh.

On the hindsight, Dhoni could use only Harbhajan and Tahir as Jadeja didn’t even bowl an over.

McClenaghan’s over was the turning point: Fleming

Stephen Fleming pointed that Mitchell McClenaghan’s over where he dismissed MS Dhoni was the turning point.

Fleming also lauded Mumbai for their brilliant show although accepted the fact that they should have scored more.

“We were in prime position but Mitchell’s (McClenaghan) over, where he got MS (Dhoni), was the turning point of the match. We were ready to launch as MS is in great form in the death overs and a score of 190 would have been a probability. They did bowl well to drag it down to 170 which was good cricket from them,” he concluded.

Also, Read: Irfan Pathan cites out why MS Dhoni is so special as a captain