Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming said the pitch getting easier to bat in the second innings and the rival spinners winning the middle-overs battle in the first essay proved crucial in his side’s loss against Punjab Kings.
“They got good purchase and they could hold on to it. And we just got stifled through the middle overs… we were a bit muddled and inaccurate with bat and ball to compete, ” Fleming said in the post-match press conference on Wednesday.
“Every match we played has been wet. Our spinners have had no impact because they could not turn the ball.”
Fleming also backed Ajinkya Rahane’s timid approach in the PowerPlay.
“I thought he was good. He was probably a bit too aggressive in terms of what he was trying to do and keep in mind we’re batting on wickets that we don’t know how it would play.”
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“We have to take a little bit of a pause to see what a good score is. If you’re three for 30 then the game is pretty much over. We have an assessment period which we want those two (openers) to do. So, we’re fine with the role Rahane plays,” Fleming added.
PBKS batter Rilee Rossouw hailed tweakers Harpreet Brar and Rahul Chahar’s exploits in the contest.
“They’ve been phenomenal. Rahul has been bowling really well and Brar is just Mr. Consistent,” Rossouw said.
Punjab Kings’ Arshdeep Singh, center, and Harpreet Brar, right, celebrate the wicket of Chennai Super Kings’ Shivam Dube. | Photo Credit: R. PARTHIBHAN
Rossouw also lauded skipper Sam Curran’s brave call to give the penultimate over to the leg-spinner with M.S. Dhoni on strike.
“I’ve got to give credit to Sam. He took the gamble and it came off beautifully. That’s not something we see every day in cricket.”
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