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The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Tuesday, April 23. Despite posting a seemingly strong total of 210 runs, thanks to a century from captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and a quickfire fifty from Shivam Dube, CSK failed to defend their score on their home turf. This loss marked their first home defeat of the season.
Stephen Fleming criticises Chepauk pitch
Head coach Stephen Fleming expressed his disappointment after the match, criticising the Chepauk pitch for offering minimal assistance to the spinners. CSK's bowling attack, known for their spin prowess, was unable to capitalise on their strength due to the pitch conditions.
LSG's chase started poorly, losing their two key openers, KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock, within the powerplay. However, the tide turned dramatically with the arrival of Marcus Stoinis. The Australian all-rounder played a knock for the ages, scoring an unbeaten 124 runs off just 63 balls. His dominant performance single-handedly steered LSG to a historic victory, chasing down the target with 3 balls to spare.
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CSK's hefty loss to LSG exposed cracks in their armor, and head coach Stephen Fleming wasn't afraid to point fingers. The blame fell partially on the Chepauk pitch, which Fleming criticized for not aiding the spin attack.
CSK boasts a strong spin department, but the pitch rendered them largely ineffective. Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali, their premier spinners, bowled a combined four overs, leaking runs freely without taking a single wicket. The lack of spin support forced CSK to rely heavily on their pacers. Unfortunately, dew in the later stages hampered the fast bowlers' effectiveness as well, allowing LSG to chase down the target in the final over.
"We've had one pitch which was an excellent one I think, it turned and we won comfortably. Yeah, I'd like more synergy between the pitch and what we're trying to do. And I'd unashamedly say that it's your home ground, you got to defend and you pick teams accordingly," said Stephen Fleming in the post-match press conference.
“So when it's out of sync, you find it very difficult. It's not quite right yet but you just got to be good enough to play what's in front of you. We know that we can be stronger if conditions were a little bit different,” he added.
CSK addresses 'spin' issue
Admitting a broader issue, CSK coach Stephen Fleming acknowledged that the team's spin attack, traditionally a core strength, hasn't delivered as expected so far this season. While he praised the contributions of pacers like Mustafizur Rahman and Matheesha Pathirana, Fleming expressed his hope for the spinners to rediscover their form and become impactful contributors in upcoming matches.
"If you look at that we've got spinners in the side, Theekshana as well. But it nullifies that when there's nothing really going on and then there's the dew as well makes it very difficult. We can wish for it, but if we don't get it we just have to get on with it. So that's what we're doing. But it does take a key component out of our attack. We've got Pathirana who's a weapon, Fiz has done well when it's slow but the spin department has been made redundant and I'd love it to change," he concluded.
Meanwhile, CSK, who are fifth in the IPL 2024's points table, will next face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 28, while LSG, who are fourth in the standings, will lock horns with Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 27.
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