Fleming praises McCullum influence on CSK

Sudhir Gupta 10:26 05/05/2014
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  • Refreshing: To date, Brendon McCullum is the third-highest run scorer in the IPL this year.

    Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming believes the inclusion of Brendon McCullum has given the team a fresh impetus this season.

    The current New Zealand captain who was bought by Chennai for $541,000 two months ago has been among the top run-getters for the franchise as they lead the Indian Premier League standings with five wins from six games so far.

    McCullum (249 runs) has also forged a crack opening combination with West Indies’ Dwyane Smith (256 runs) and together they have scored 52.71 per cent of Chennai’s runs. 

    Fleming understands the value McCullum, 32, brings to the team having shared the New Zealand dressing room with him for 32 Tests and 97 One-Day internationals.

    He said: “I have enjoyed my time with Brendon in the New Zealand side. He was obviously pretty young then, but he has developed well. He is now our national captain and is playing some great cricket and we were delighted to get him because he brings a number of things with him, and not just runs. 

    “He has leadership qualities and he has an energy about him which is infectious. Then there is also the running between the wickets in combination with Dwayne Smith. And along with Faf du Plessis and the Indian fielders, there is real electricity in the field. His runs and the opening partnership has certainly been one of the highlights.”

    The former New Zealand captain indicated Smith too has been key to the team’s surge which has seen them notch five wins on the trot. 

    Fleming said: “Dwayne is a wonderful player and he has surprised me with his intelligence. And I don’t say that disrespectfully. But his intelligence towards the game (is great), he is a very good reader of the game.”

    Chennai will be hoping to extend their winning streak when they take on a struggling Kevin Pietersen-led Delhi Daredevils (two wins from six games) at Feroz Shah Kotla tonight. However, Fleming was guarded while dwelling on his team’s excellent run.

    “It’s been going well so far. We have played a good game of cricket but there is still a long way to go. We have been in positions where we realise how quickly things can change. We know that we can’t relax at any stage. It’s not an easy game.

    “Perennially, we have been slow starters. So to get a start like this has been excellent. There is a lot of hard work that goes in picking the side and getting the dynamic right. We have been lucky with our selections and have been repaid for our faith already. It has been a good feeling in the camp and also there is a realism around the stop-start nature of form within the IPL.”

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