December 23, 2024
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"MS Dhoni Is Playing Father's Role In My Cricket Life": CSK Star's Massive Praise

“MS Dhoni Is Playing Father’s Role In My Cricket Life”: CSK Star’s Massive Praise

Danijones04 mins

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana said that the legendary MS Dhoni plays a “father’s role” in his cricket life and urged the cricketing icon to play for one more season in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The five-time champions will be locking horns with Punjab Kings at Dharamshala on Sunday. This will be a crucial game for CSK as far as their playoff chances are concerned. The Yellow army is at the fifth spot in the points table with five wins and five losses, giving them a total of 10 points. On the other hand, PBKS is at the seventh spot with four wins, six losses and a total of eight points. In their previous game, PBKS won by seven wickets against CSK in Chennai on Wednesday. Speaking at the Lions Upclose show by CSK, Pathirana said that Dhoni cares for him always, and gives him valuable advice as a cricketer. “After my father, in my cricket life, mostly he (Dhoni) is playing my father’s role because he is always taking care of me, giving me advice, what I have to do, similar to my father when I am at home. He tells just small things, but it makes a lot of difference. So those little things, I take a lot of confidence,” said the Sri Lankan pacer. Pathirana said that even though they do not talk much off the field, he would often go to Dhoni and ask him for whatever he needs. “Every time he is telling me, ‘Enjoy your game and take care of your body,’ Mahi bhai, if you can play one more season, please play with us. If I am here,” he concluded. After impressing with his slingy action reminiscent of Sri Lankan pace legend Lasith Malinga, Pathirana made his debut for Lankan Lions following the IPL 2022. In 12 matches of the IPL 2023, he took 19 wickets at an average of 14.63, with best figures of 3/15 and played a crucial role in CSK’s fifth title win. In the ongoing season, Pathirana has played just six games owing to injury and taken 13 wickets at an average of 13.00, with the best figures of 4/28. CSK missed Pathirana’s services as he returned to his home country to sort out visa issues ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup this year, starting in the West Indies/USA from June 1 onwards. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

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Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings Today Match Prediction & Live Odds - IPL 2024

Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings Today Match Prediction & Live Odds – IPL 2024

Vann Hiso06 mins

Get to Know Who will win Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings, IPL 2024 Match and toss Prediction with Head to Head stats, Playing 11, CBTFJSK Tips, Live score & winning percentage. 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 : Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 : May 05, 2024𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 : 15:30 IST / 10:00 GMT𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐄 : HPCA Stadium – Dharamshala, India 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 : IPL 2024 Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings Betting Tips Jonny Bairstow has found form when it matters the most for PBKS. He has scores of 108 and 46 in last two games. He could be backed as PBKS top batter. Rabada has taken 11 wickets for PBKS and is the team’s best pacer. Back him as top bowler.Ruturaj Gaikwad scored 62 in the last game against PBKS. He has scored over 500 runs in the tournament and has a century, a 98 and 62 in last three innings. Back him as CSK top batter. Matheesha Pathirana should be CSK’s top bowler if he is fit enough to play. Else, someone like a Tushar Deshpande could be backed as top bowler as he too has great ability to pick wickets with the new as well as the old ball.The HPCA stadium is not a high scoring venue. Swing bowlers get some help and who better than Arshdeep Singh can exploit the swinging conditions. Back Arshdeep to pick over 1.5 wickets in the match. Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings TV channels: The fans can watch the match live on Hotstar Live Streaming: Live streaming of the match will be available on the FAFA191 Cricket Exchange India and website. Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings T20 Match Prediction & Betting Tips, IPL 2024 Punjab Kings will take on Chennai Super Kings in the 53rd match of the IPL 2024. The game will be played at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala and will start at 3:30 PM IST on May 5. PBKS defeated CSK in the last game to keep playoff hopes alive. PBKS have four wins in 10 games and their chances of reaching the playoffs hang by a thread. The only way PBKS can reach the playoffs is to win all their remaining games. This will help the team reach 16 points and qualify for the playoffs.  Meanwhile, CSK have five wins and as many defeats in 10 games. CSK chances of reaching the playoffs took a massive blow after a defeat to PBKS. CSK need to win three out of the last four games to qualify. The team desperately need a win against PBKS as they only have one home game left but it against table toppers Rajasthan Royals. It won’t be an easy game thus CSK need to win against PBKS at all costs so that even if they lose against RR, they have a chance of qualifying. Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings Match Toss PredictionThe captains will opt to chase if they win the toss as defending a score is tough these days with the Impact player rule as captains have the luxury of playing an extra batter. Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings Pitch ReportThe surface at HPCA will help the fast bowlers early on. However, it will get better to bat as the game progresses. The pace and bounce will be consistent while fast outfield will ensure value for shots. A score of around 180 should be par here. Dharamsala Weather ReportThe conditions will be pleasant with temperature in early 20s. There is a 20 per cent chance of rain as well in Dharamsala. Read on for team previews, betting tips, latest odds, and match prediction for Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings, Indian Premier League 2024

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IPL 2024: Must-win game for Chennai Super Kings against Punjab Kings | Cricket News

IPL 2024: Must-win game for Chennai Super Kings against Punjab Kings | Cricket News

Danijones04 mins

Pacers Pathirana, Deshpande back as Ruturaj’s boys eye revenge against PBKSChennai Super Kings have been far from comfortable playing away from home this season. The reigning champions have won just one of their four matches on the road so far and were outplayed by the opposition in each of the three losses. With time not on their side and the team playing catch-up in the intense playoff race, Ruturaj Gaikwad-led CSK will have to improve their away record, starting with the clash against Punjab Kings in Dharamshala on Sunday.IPL ORANGE CAP | IPL PURPLE CAP | IPL POINTS TABLESuper Kings (10 points from 10 matches) find themselves in must-win territory as they are two points behind Sunrisers Hyderabad (12 points from 10 matches), who occupy the fourth and final knockout spot.A slip-up against Punjab – four days after going down to the same opposition in Chennai – could mean that top-four qualification may no longer be in their hands.Moving into the most crucial phase of the league stage, Ruturaj’s form is a huge positive for CSK. The right-handed opener is on a dream run with five 50-plus scores in his last six outings. While Ruturaj is in glorious touch, he can still improve in certain areas – maintaining consistency away from home, making full use of the Powerplay at a time when his opening partner Ajinkya Rahane is struggling for runs. The fact that the pitches at the HPCA Stadium provide good assistance to the batters should please Ruturaj and Co. After being dominated by spinners Harpreet Brar and Rahul Chahar, the middle-order batters, especially Shivam Dube, will be eager to exact revenge.CSK are set to be bolstered by the availability of pacers Matheesha Pathirana and Tushar Deshpande, but will be without the services of Deepak Chahar. While Pathirana and Deshpande missed the last game with a niggle and flu respectively, Deepak limped off the field with a groin injury. “Deepak has pulled up with a problem in his leg and is not with us. The Sri Lankan boys (Pathirana and Maheesh Theekshana) had to go to get their visas sorted. They did not train on Saturday. Once we see how the conditions are and the balance of the team, we will know (if they play). Tushar seems fine right now,” said CSK bowling consultant Eric Simons.Punjab, who are on a two-match winning streak, will look to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. The change of home venue from Mullanpur to Dharamshala could come as a welcome boost as the free-stroking PBKS batters may be better-suited to the HPCA Stadium pitch.

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IPL 2024: Hardik Pandya's Mumbai Indians can still qualify for playoffs - Here is how | Cricket News

IPL 2024: Hardik Pandya’s Mumbai Indians can still qualify for playoffs – Here is how | Cricket News

Danijones04 mins

NEW DELHI: Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians (MI) are currently struggling in the IPL 2024 standings, occupying the ninth position with six points and a net run rate of -0.356 after winning only three out of their eleven matches. Although their chances of finishing in the top three have diminished, they still have an opportunity to qualify for the playoffs.In their recent encounter against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday, MI suffered a 24-run defeat.To secure a playoff berth, Pandya’s team must win their remaining three matches against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), KKR, and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), accumulating 12 points from 14 matches.However, their qualification also depends on the results of other teams. MI cannot surpass Rajasthan Royals (RR) and KKR in the standings, as they have already amassed 16 and 14 points respectively after playing 10 matches each. Similarly, they will remain below SRH and LSG, who have already secured 12 points. MI’s only chance of finishing fourth is if LSG loses all their remaining four matches against KKR, SRH, Delhi Capitals (DC), and MI.Furthermore, MI will closely monitor the performance of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), DC, Gujarat Titans (GT), Punjab Kings (PBKS), and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), hoping that they do not exceed the 12-point mark and maintain a lower net run rate in IPL 2024.In the match between MI and KKR, Mumbai opted to field first. A strong partnership of 83 runs between Venkatesh Iyer (70 off 52) and Manish Pandey (42 off 31) propelled KKR to a total of 169. Jasprit Bumrah’s impressive spell of 3 for 18 in 3.5 overs, including a double-wicket over, was a highlight for MI. In response, MI were bowled out for 145. Starc made a remarkable comeback, claiming 4 wickets for 33 runs in just 3.5 overs, leading KKR to a 24-run victory. Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine also contributed with identical figures of 2/22, taking crucial wickets in the first half of the chase, which put KKR in a commanding position.Following their victory, KKR now hold the second position in the IPL 2024 standings with 14 points, while MI remain in ninth place with 6 points. MI’s next match is against SRH on Monday at the Wankhede Stadium.(Inputs from ANI)

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IPL-17: PBKS vs CSK | Chennai Super Kings eye payback in second successive clash against Punjab Kings

IPL-17: PBKS vs CSK | Chennai Super Kings eye payback in second successive clash against Punjab Kings

Danijones07 mins

Defending champions Chennai Super Kings will look to set their house in order and get back to winning ways when they face an upbeat yet unpredictable Punjab Kings for the second time in a row in the IPL in Dharamsala on May 5. Just three days back, PBKS outclassed CSK by seven wickets at Chepauk, considered their fortress. The two losses in the last three games at home have put Chennai in a spot. They are placed fifth on the table with 10 points and the five-time champions will hope the change of venue would bring a change in fortune as well with just four games to go to seal their place in the knockout stage. CSK’s failure to push the pace in the middle overs against the spin duo of Harpreet Brar and Rahul Chahar saw them post a below-par score of 162-7. Their batting has become too dependent on skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and six-hitting machine Shivam Dube and the moment one of them fails, it puts the pressure on others who have not been consistent in bailing out the team. While Gaikwad hit his fifth 50-plus score of the season to hold it together, veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane once again failed to capitalise on the starts, while Ravindra Jadeja and Sameer Rizvi struggled against spin. CSK also has been hampered by the health and fitness concerns of their pacers, including Deepak Chahar, who limped off holding his hamstring after bowling just two balls and is likely to miss the reverse clash against PBKS. The absence of their frontline bowlers, Matheesha Pathirana (niggle) and Tushar Deshpande (flu), also didn’t help matters the other day. Add to that the dew factor which took the spinners out of the equation and PBKS romped home comfortably. While Richard Gleeson made his IPL debut in the last match, CSK might bring back Mukesh Choudhary. Punjab Kings, on the other hand, have seen a resurgence as they registered back-to-back wins to re-ignite their playoffs hopes. En route to their win over CSK, Punjab became the second team after Mumbai Indians to beat the defending champions five times in a row and they will fancy their chances. Punjab remains an unpredictable side as although it notched up wins over Gujarat in Ahmedabad, Chennai at Chepauk and also chased down a T20 record score against KKR, it has struggled at home against RR, SRH and Gujarat. With back-to-back wins, PBKS climbed to seventh spot with 8 points and will need to carry the momentum to salvage their slim hopes. Jonny Bairstow, who made a hundred against KKR, will be their go-to man, while Rilee Rossouw, Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh too have to raise their hands. PBKS’ bowling department has experienced names such as Kagiso Rabada, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh and Sam Curran and they need to be consistent. Rabada was brilliant the other day but others have gone for runs. If PBKS has to repeat their performance against CSK then the spinners — Harpreet Brar and Rahul Chahar — will have to deliver once again. Interestingly, the first IPL match in Dharmasala stadium was a clash between Chennai and Punjab in 2010. The venue offers a lot of runs and dew remains a factor, making it an enticing contest. Teams Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), MS Dhoni (wk), Aravelly Avanish, Ajinkya Rahane, Shaik Rasheed, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, RS Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Nishant Sindhu, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Choudhary, Mustafizur Rahman, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Prashant Solanki, Shardul Thakur, Maheesh Theekshana and Sameer Rizvi. Punjab Kings: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Matthew Short, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sikandar Raza, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis, Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa, Shivam Singh, Harshal Patel, Chris Woakes, Ashutosh Sharma, Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Shashank Singh, Tanay Thyagarajan, Prince Choudhary, Rilee Rossouw. Match starts: 3.30 PM.

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'In my cricket life, MS Dhoni plays my father's role': Matheesha Pathirana reserves highest praise for CSK legend

‘In my cricket life, MS Dhoni plays my father’s role’: Matheesha Pathirana reserves highest praise for CSK legend

Danijones04 mins

MS Dhoni’s cricketing prowess is world-renowned, but perhaps equally remarkable is his knack for nurturing young talent. Since becoming the Indian captain for the first time in 2007, Dhoni has played a pivotal role in cultivating a rich pool of Indian cricketers, propelling the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to batting stardom, among numerous others. This talent cultivation extends seamlessly to the IPL; under Dhoni’s astute leadership, Chennai Super Kings have clinched a record 5 titles, witnessing the transformation of budding talents like Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja into world-class cricketers. Chennai Super Kings’ Matheesha Pathirana, left, celebrates a dismissal with MS Dhoni in IPL 2024(AP) But it’s not just the Indian cricketers who benefited from Dhoni’s rich presence at the CSK dressing room. Sri Lanka’s Matheesha Pathirana is among the first names in his national team’s playing XI in limited-overs formats, but MS Dhoni was among the first ones to spot him. It was at CSK where Pathirana first announced his arrival to the cricketing fraternity in 2022, eventually making his national debut the same year. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! In an interaction with CSK on their official YouTube account, Pathirana showed his immense gratitude to Dhoni for propelling his career. Labelling him a father figure in his cricketing life, Pathirana said Dhoni has always supported him. “After my father, in my cricket life, he (Dhoni) plays my father’s role. He takes care of me, and he gives me advice on what I have to do, similar to my father’s thing when I’m at my home. I think that’s enough,” said Pathirana. “He doesn’t tell me a lot of things when I’m on the field and off the field, but he tells just small things that make a lot of difference and gives me a lot of confidence. He knows how to maintain the players. Off the field, we don’t talk much, but if I have to ask something from him, definitely I’d go to him and ask him,” Pathirana said further. Pathirana’s impact at CSK Pathirana was crucial to CSK’s success in the previous edition of the IPL, where he picked 19 wickets in 12 matches and helped the side win a record-equalling fifth title. This year, too, Pathirana has been brilliant for the side so far; in six matches, the Sri Lankan has taken 13 wickets and is in the top ten in the Purple Cap list.

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'In my cricket life, MS Dhoni is playing my father's role' | Cricket News

‘In my cricket life, MS Dhoni is playing my father’s role’ | Cricket News

Danijones03 mins

Ever since asking Joginder Sharma to bowl the final over of the 2007 T20 World Cup against Pakistan, former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and India captain MS Dhoni has been known to putting his trust into young players and turning them into champion performers, and Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana is experiencing something similar at CSK in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season.IPL 2024: Results | Points TableHaving a slingy action similar to Sri Lankan fast-bowling legend Lasith Malinga, Pathirana is currently fifth on the list of top wicket-takers in this IPL season, with 13 wickets in six matches.He finished among the top 10 bowlers in the 2023 season as well.He credits that success to the confidence shown in him by Dhoni, who handed over CSK captaincy duties to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of IPL 2024. WATCH VIDEO “After my father, in my cricket life, mostly he (Dhoni) is playing my father’s role because he is always taking care of me, giving me advice, what I have to do, similar to my father when I am at home,” said Pathirana on the latest episode of ‘Lions Upclose’.Pathirana further revealed that Dhoni doesn’t say much and always stresses on the need to enjoying the game and taking care of fitness. “He’s not telling a lot of things when I am on the field and off the field. He tells just small tings, but it makes a lot of difference. So those little things, I take a lot of confidence (from),” said the 21-year-old Sri Lankan pacer. “In my cricket life, Dhoni’s like my father”| Lions up close Ft. Matheesha Pathirana “Off the field, we don’t talk that much; but if I have to ask something from him, definitely I would go to him and ask. Everytime he is telling me ‘enjoy your game and take care of your body’.” The pacer from Trinity College in Kandy then slipped in quiet request that is on every CSK fan’s wish-list. “Mahi bhai, if you can play one more season, please play with us. If I’m here (laughs).”

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'He's still in his 20s…': Ruturaj Gaikwad praises 'young' CSK wicketkeeper MS Dhoni | Cricket News

‘He’s still in his 20s…’: Ruturaj Gaikwad praises ‘young’ CSK wicketkeeper MS Dhoni | Cricket News

Danijones03 mins

NEW DELHI: It’s hard not be a fan of MS Dhoni, especially if you play in the same team and add to that, if you have succeeded the legend as captain of a team that he led to as many as five IPL titles.A day after Chennai Super Kings went down to Punjab Kings by 7 wickets, the host broadcaster shared a video of CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad at a talk show answering a question on MS Dhoni.IPL ORANGE CAP | IPL PURPLE CAP | IPL POINTS TABLE“How did the young wicket-keeper perform in your opinion?” asks the anchor.Gaikwad replies with a smile, “He did quite well, I feel he should be in the Indian team now, he’s doing really well, he played some good shots. The reason why I said young was actually the amount of practice he was doing pre-season, the amount of hard work he was putting in and I think he was playing the best I’ve ever seen since the last five or six years. So I really feel he’s in his prime twenties. He is playing that kind of cricket right now. Definitely he’s still quite young and many more years to come for him to play.” Dhoni has the third best strike rate this IPL season. He has scored 110 runs from 10 matches at a strike rate of 229.17 and an average of 110.00.In the match against Punjab on Wednesday, Dhoni was dismissed for the first time in this IPL edition when he was run out after scoring a 11-ball 14.CSK are at the fourth spot in the points table with five victories and five defeats, and play their next game against Punjab again on Sunday in Dharamsala.

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Breaking down MS Dhoni's strange innings against PBKS | Crickit

Breaking down MS Dhoni’s strange innings against PBKS | Crickit

Danijones07 mins

MS Dhoni holds a copyright over making late entries count. Mumbai Indians were handed a lesson in that when Dhoni smacked three sixes in a four-ball 20. Next match, Lucknow Super Giants conceded 28 off nine. A 16-ball 37* against Delhi Capitals should have ideally topped both these efforts but Dhoni probably waited too long to kickstart that assault as CSK ultimately lost by 20 runs. Wednesday’s innings was weird though. Chennai Super Kings’ MS Dhoni plays a shot(AFP) Dhoni wasn’t saddled with a chase. The pitch wasn’t easy either. But with CSK’s innings evidently shaping to end sub-par, Dhoni turned down an opportunity to run two. A miscued slice prompted Daryl Mitchell to hare almost to the other end of the pitch when Dhoni asked him to go back. Maybe Dhoni wasn’t fit enough to run two, or perhaps he felt he could convert the remaining three balls better than Mitchell. Either way, that call couldn’t be justified as Dhoni ended up hitting only one six. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! But that’s not the only strange thing about Dhoni’s innings. Not being able to put away Rahul Chahar’s leg-breaks in the earlier over had a domino effect on CSK’s innings—Moeen Ali getting bowled off the fourth ball prompting a strange passage of play that made Dhoni look woefully out-of-touch, like he has rarely been before. Chahar’s line was the key here, making Dhoni reach out every time he bowled to him. Being a heavily bottom-handed batter, Dhoni has never quite mastered the art of mastering the off-side. So, by channelling wide outside the off stump, Chahar ensured that Dhoni didn’t get enough bat under the ball. “I didn’t want to bowl it fuller to him, he hits it well if you push it fuller,” said Chahar after CSK’s innings ended. That Arshdeep Singh was given a similar brief in the 20th over was evident in the way he was targeting wide outside Dhoni’s arc. Only one low full toss clobbered for a boundary out of the first four balls is good enough for any last over, especially against Dhoni. Sixteen runs off the last two overs, thus, was a rare day of success against CSK despite Dhoni taking the bulk of the strike. In hindsight, CSK’s batting shuffles may not have done Dhoni any favour, what with Mitchell being demoted to No 8 from No 3. Supplanting Ajinkya Rahane with Sameer Rizvi as Impact Player too flopped as he could score only 21 off 23 balls. That, at a time when CSK didn’t hit a single boundary for 55 balls—the longest stretch this season—perhaps was too large a pretext for Dhoni to react the way he normally does. More, probably because CSK aren’t getting their batting in order, the struggle being more evident after Shivam Dube got a duck and Ravindra Jadeja was dismissed cheaply before the halfway mark. “So, if you get to six overs, that’s the perfect time for him (Dube) to come in,” said CSK coach Stephen Fleming after their seven-wicket defeat. “The next thing is with left-right (combination), we want Jadeja to come in and take them (the spinners) on as well. But they bowled well. The Rizvi one, we will discuss a little bit more, may go the other way around with that one but again he’s positive and his ability to hit sixes in training has certainly been good. But there’s a temperament part of that as well that young players need to learn. So we have got a bit of information from that. “The casualty was Mitchell going down the order. What we learnt from the first part of the tournament was that if it goes too low, there are other players—Moeen Ali and MS—who can push the game along. So the window closes there but it was very much getting the tactics right for what we wanted to do in the middle. And that was to break their spinners up but they won that competition.”

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Stephen Fleming laments absence of key players as Chennai Super Kings ‘struggle’ in IPL 2024 | Crickit

Stephen Fleming laments absence of key players as Chennai Super Kings ‘struggle’ in IPL 2024 | Crickit

Danijones05 mins

Five-time former champions Chennai Super Kings have fumbled lately in the Indian Premier League 2024 with only two wins from their last five games. On Wednesday, they were outclassed by the Punjab Kings where they could only manage to post 162 runs on the board. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad played another outstanding innings of 62 runs from 48 deliveries to climb to the top of the orange cap list. However, the CSK opener couldn’t count on his team as wickets kept tumbling and bowlers leaked a lot of runs. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) coach Stephen Fleming addresses media.(PTI) CSK coach Stephen Fleming revealed that the team was plagued by injuries to the players and the unavailability of a few. The former Kiwi player began with ace bowler Deepak Chahar who left the field without completing the first over followed by Matheesha Pahirana and Maheesh Theekshana, who have flown back to Sri Lanka to get visas ahead of the T20 World Cup. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Meanwhile, CSK’s left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman also went back to fulfill the international commitments for Bangladesh. “Deepak Chahar doesn’t look good. Initial feeling wasn’t great. So we are waiting for more positive report. Physio and doctors will have a look. Sri Lankan boys are off to get visa. So we are hoping that their process is smooth. And we get them back for our next game up north (at Dharamshala). Richard Gleeson was good, he was positive,” Fleming revealed at the press conference. The Kiwi coach also disclosed that pacer Tushar Deshpande had also got flu which led to the changes against PBKS. “Tushar Deshpande got flu, so we had to make a few changes today, which is a bit unusual. But again that’s part of it and we have got resources. It’s just they haven’t got time to be comfortable about their roles and us to be comfortable with the game plan that we are struggling with,” he added. Skipper Gaikwad also expressed the difficulties while playing the match without the top players “It’s a real problem (on the player missing due to injuries and Chahar walking away in the first over), there are phases where you want wickets, but you have only two bowlers, the dew took the spinners out of the equation. It was tough, but there’re four games left and we will try and come back to winning ways,” the Chennai opener stated. CSK are currently placed at no.4 in the table with 10 points, with 5 wins from 10 games. The side will once again face PBKS in their next encounter and will look to settle the scores of defeat from their last match.

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