“It’s like a fresh start,” Chennai Super Kings (CSK) chief coach Stephen Fleming said adding that it will be a “unique challenge” looking at how the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 season has been split into two.
The second leg of the lucrative league 2021 season will resume on Sunday evening with CSK and Mumbai Indians locking horns.
Ahead of the crucial match, Fleming told CSK TV, “We just want to start well again but also remembering the work that it took to get a bit of form and to get those wins. It’s all about the mindset, people coming together and almost treating it like a fresh start for another tournament.
“There are guys coming in from the CPL (Caribbean Premier League) and international cricket and that’s the beauty of the IPL, they come with great experience and tie them all together. I’m really happy with the work that is being done here. I’m looking forward to it,” he added.
Asked about how new players have adjusted within the side, the 48-year-old said, “The style of play, the way the new players adjusted into the side and then getting a game plan that suits the players and the balance that we had. So, that was by design… which is always nice when it comes off. The way we batted and the aggressive nature in which we batted and took the opposition on and that was something that was lacking in the first half in Dubai last time. The confidence through that was good and the all-round balance was good to see.”
Further talking about rivalry between the Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai and Dhoni’s side, Fleming said, “We finished the first half of phase 1 with a loss where Pollard played one of the great IPL innings. Mumbai do play well against us, so we got to keep lifting our standards. From a coaching point of view, you want that game underway so that you know what to work on and just exactly where the team’s at. So, we’re looking forward to it as always and it’s a good encounter.”
