Ambati Rayudu, Stephen Fleming, MS Dhoni,
Photo by: Faheem Hussain /SPORTZPICS for BCCI.

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming praised the match-defining knocks of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu against RCB.

CSK skipper Dhoni and opener Rayudu scored a quickfire 70 and 83 respectively – to help their side in a bid to win the contest by five wickets.

Two-time champions had their backs against the wall in the run chase when they were tottering for 74 for four in nine overs.

A good partnership was the need of the hour for the visitors. Dhoni and Rayudu were able to put together an alliance of 101-run which assisted CSK in getting back into the contest with a bang.

Fleming
Stephen Fleming addresses the media after the match. Photo by: Faheem Hussain /SPORTZPICS for BCCI.

CSK was behind the eight ball.

Fleming said that Dhoni is going to get most of the headlines but Rayudu also deserves the same appreciation.

Rayudu is currently the Orange Cap holder with 283 runs in six innings. The CSK opener has been able to provide a good platform for his team.

Also read: IPL 2018: Mahendra Singh Dhoni Backs Ambati Rayudu to Open an Innings for CSK

“Dhoni’s going to get a lot of the headlines but the innings from Rayudu was outstanding as well. He’s been the in-form player for us in all conditions and has followed on from the Hyderabad game with another instrumental knock. We’ve got across the line and it’s a becoming a habit which is great,” former New Zealand skipper said in the post-match press conference.

Dhoni
MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu. Photo by: Vipin Pawar /SPORTZPICS for BCCI.

The former Kiwi opening batsman Fleming also added that Dhoni never misses being a cynosure of all eyes. We are witnessing a different Dhoni in the ongoing season.

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The CSK captain is batting up the order which is helping him in facing more deliveries.

“Having seen it (Dhoni finishing off games) so many times, the expectations just get so high. Some of the shots he played tonight (was incredible). He (never) ceases to amaze. In this IPL, his batting has been exceptional,” Fleming added.

Quick Read: IPL 2018, Match 24, RCB v CSK: Dhoni Special Wins it for Chennai

CSK chief coach also added that they didn’t do a bad job with a ball despite conceding 205.

Fleming appreciated AB de Villiers who was one step ahead of their bowlers. Thus, Stephen is unperturbed by the bowling howlers.

AB
AB de Villiers was on song against CSK. Photo by: Faheem Hussain /SPORTZPICS for BCCI.

Fleming added, “You could bowl a lot worse than what we did today. We asked some questions and the answers were emphatic from de Villiers and de Kock so they had no problems with that. I would like to bowl out teams for 130-140 but if we’re chasing down the scores that they get, it suggests that we’re doing ok.”

The former Blackcaps skipper Stephen Fleming added the South African talismanic batsman was equally good as MS Dhoni.

“I don’t think we bowled too badly but AB de took the game away from us. So, just as good as Dhoni is at the death, AB through that top and middle was superb. He counted what we had today and I thought we hung in there pretty well,” Fleming asserted.

Chennai has once again checked all the right boxes. They have won five out of six matches and sit at the pinnacle of the points table.

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Men in Yellow will now lock horns against arch-rivals and reigning champions Mumbai Indians on April 28 at their newly-adopted home in Pune.

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