Stephen Fleming Urges CSK Batsmen To 'Show More Intensity'

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) find themselves struggling in mid-season. The most consistent team in IPL have slumped to five defeats from their seven outings and are languishing in the bottom-half of the points table. Their last defeat came against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as they fell short by 37 runs off target.

The loss came courtesy off their batting failure once again as they lost veteran openers Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis early in the chase of 170 runs. Ambati Rayudu then chipped in with an important 42 off 40 deliveries with N Jagadeesan scoring 33 off 28. However, Sam Curran, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo failed miserably in the run chase as CSK were restricted to 132/8 in their stipulated 20 overs.

I’d like is a little bit more intensity through the middle overs: Stephen Fleming

CSK head coach Stephen Fleming said that the team needs to start well at the top and pointed out that if they don’t get good start at the top, CSK eventually falls into a hole. He urged his players to adapt more intensity through the middle overs as a positive solution.

“If we don’t get a good start at the top with our two overseas players, we’re falling into a hole. So we’re looking for positive solutions. What I’d like is a little bit more intensity through the middle overs,” Fleming said in the post-match press conference.

“We’ve got plenty of batting, and while we’re recovering pretty well, we are just ending up with too much to do at the back. So, trying to release the shackles and just allow the hitters towards the end a little bit more freedom,” he added.

Asked if it was the most challenging period of his tenure and whether the side had a chance of making the play-offs, Fleming said “it’s getting further away if we keep playing like this.”

CSK will next face-off SRH on Thursday.