Moving Out of Chennai Was a Difficult Decision: Stephen Fleming

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) claimed their third Indian Premier League (IPL) title on Sunday (May 27) in Mumbai. The side is led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni and coached by former Kiwi skipper Stephen Fleming. The duo shares a fruitful rapport which enables the side – to put out their best plan forward.

The side was also making a comeback after two-year added extra onus on them.

The franchise had to shift their base from Chennai to Pune due to protests in their homeland following the Cauvery water issue in the state. But none of it could stop the yellow brigade from lifting the cup on an eventful night.

A change in venue didn’t deter hopes:

Only a solitary game took place in Chennai, against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

The hosts won the game in emphatic fashion but shoes were thrown on the likes of Faf du Plessis and Ravindra Jadeja while major groups were seen staging protests outside the stadium.

The sombre activity prompted Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) – to change the venue to the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune

“Most of the plans were to build a team according to Chennai’s conditions but those things weren’t in our control,” Fleming said at a press conference after Chennai lifted the cup.

Stephen Fleming on taking the call

“Moving out of Chennai was a difficult decision. We knew the conditions of Pune. Th team had to change the way we had to play the game. The boys knew the conditions in Chennai. The experience enabled us to do that. It was a big change but we had to get on with it” he added.

The cricketers reached Chennai around 4:30 PM on Monday and fans greeted the bunch in yellow in some fashion.

The champions kept things simple and built their team around familiar faces.

“We went back to players who are loyal. There weren’t one or two players dominated. We stick together through thick and thin,” Stephen Fleming concluded.