Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and team management have faced scrutiny from former players, experts and fans alike for selection and in-game and auction strategies. CSK picked uncapped players Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma for Rs 14.20 crore each in the mini-auction but the bold calls are yet to bear fruit for five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions. After three consecutive defeats, CSK posted a video of Veer smashing the bowlers around the part in an intra-squad practice match. In the video, CSK legend MS Dhoni can be seen on the non-striker’s end.
20-year-old Veer made his IPL debut against Punjab Kings (PBKS). The southpaw scored six runs from seven balls and didn't bowl. In the mammoth run chase against RCB, he walked in to bat at no.7 and scored 43 runs from 29 deliveries, featuring six fours and a six. While RCB batters dominated, once again, he did not bowl a single over. Many former cricketers have questioned CSK over not using Veer’s left-arm spin services.
Meanwhile, Dhoni is expected to undergo a fitness test ahead of CSK’s next game. Similarly, their star overseas batter Dewald Brevis is close to match fitness as well. Their absence has been felt in the CSK middle order, especially with star openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson getting dismissed cheaply.
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Fleming backs young and expensive recruits
CSK’s next game is against Delhi Capitals (DC) at home on April 11. DC have won two games already while CSK sit at the bottom of the points table. Despite a poor start to the season, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming backed the newcomers as he said that it is a step keeping in mind the future.
“I think we’ve got some really good talent. This is, there’s five or six new players that have started this season, but we think they are of high value moving forward,” the former New Zealand captain said.
“As we reviewed last season, we had to spend a lot of money on Indian talent, so as to regenerate the franchise and create a foundation moving forward.
“We’d lost some key players in terms of creating a core, whether it be an Indian batting group or just an Indian group, so there was money spent on the future there, which has been well-documented,” he added.