Stephen Fleming
Stephen Fleming (Credits: Twitter)

Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming has agreed to the fact that the hype surrounding the Dhoni-Kohli clash in the IPL has died down over the years. He feels that it is not a big subplot compared to what it was a few years ago. Fleming further added that the game between the two sides is always special due to the proximity between the two cities.

One rivalry of the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings have remained intact. This one is between the two southernmost cities of the country. Over the past 10 years, the two franchises have been fierce competitors. However, Chennai leads the head to head record by 13-7. The last time the two times met was in the 2015 Qualifier which CSK won in the end.

The biggest reason behind the rivalry of these two franchises is due to the presence of the two biggest Indian cricketers. It is none other than the current Indian skipper Virat Kohli and the former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. While Kohli has started leading Bangalore from 2013, Dhoni has been at the helm of things for Chennai since 2013. Fleming feels that the hype surrounding the two prominent figures have died down to a considerable margin.

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“I don’t think it (Dhoni-Kohli clash) is as big a subplot as what it was maybe years back. It’s going to be a good contest with two of India’s finest players captaining the teams. It makes for a great game, that’s for sure. But in terms of any other pressure or anything, it’s just a good contest,” Stephen Fleming was quoted as saying by Wisden India ahead of the RCB-CSK clash.

Fleming further added that both are talented sides but Chennai have the momentum on their side. “It is a special match, given the proximity of the two cities,” Fleming accepted. “Both the teams are very talented. We got over the line a couple of times more this season, so we’ve seen a little bit more of the winning form. But given the quality of players in the RCB line-up, it will be one of the tough games of the season. We know we will have to play very well if we want to put any pressure on their top-order. They also have some good bowlers. Umesh Yadav has been excellent with the new ball. Chahal … So there are a lot of good contests throughout the game,” Fleming said.

Stephen Fleming Admits that the Hype Surrounding the RCB-CSK Clash Has Died Down Over the Years
Dhoni and Kohli. (Image Courtesy: Hindustan Times)

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The former New Zealand skipper said that the impact of leg spinners has been huge when speaking about Karn Sharma and Imran Tahir.  “We are just playing around with the combination. These big two legspinners (Imran Tahir and Karn) can help out in the games. You can see the impact wrist spinners are having on T20. So why not have two? Harbhajan Singh is there for his experience.”

“We just balance it up on what we think is the batting line-up of the opposition. We try and pick a combination that would make it tough for them. We have a good left-arm spinner, two leg spinners and a world class off spinner, so we have options. Could they all play together? Maybe someday. At some stage. That would be quite unique. The other thing is we picked a team that was going to be playing predominantly in Chennai where you get turn and bounce which Harbhajan would have liked,” Fleming added.

CSK loaded the team with players over the age of 30. However, Fleming backed the move and said that the older players add more value and experience to the team. It also helps them to be more consistent which has been the case so far.

“They are 35-36, not 55-56. I go back to the fact that experienced and professional players dominate a big part of the IPL. Chris Gayle has come back, he’s playing really well. Shane Watson’s hundred has been a highlight. Dwayne Bravo, MS Dhoni… these guys still have a lot of cricket to play,” the CSK head coach said.

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CSk will lock horns against Bangalore today evening at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Stephen Fleming Admits that the Hype Surrounding the RCB-CSK Clash Has Died Down Over the Years
Dhoni and Virat (Image Courtesy: News Nation)

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