Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming says, Suresh Raina cannot be replaced

Sport360 staff 19:01 16/04/2018
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  • MS Dhoni‘s Chennai Super Kings might have recorded two wins out of two in their comeback season of the IPL, but those wins have come at a price.

    First Kedar Jadhav was ruled out of the tournament due to a hamstring injury, then Suresh Raina picked up a calf injury during the game against Kolkata Knight Riders.

    Meanwhile, as South Africa’s Faf du Plessis was gaining full fitness, his countrymen Lungi Ngidi had to fly back home after the demise of his father.

    To make it even worse, amidst security concerns CSK have been denied the chance to make Chennai their fortress as their remaining home games have been shifted to Pune; a decision that could hinder their prospect of going all the way mostly because the team has been picked according to the conditions at Chennai.

    Speaking on the eve of their game against Kings XI Punjab, coach Stephen Fleming looked at the consequences arising due to the uncontrollables.

    “There’s obviously been a lot going on. I guess the positive is we’ve had two wins in two. They haven’t been great performances, but they have been good character, scraping and fighting wins, which sometimes at the start of the tournament is more valuable. Yet, disappointed to be leaving Chennai.”

    “We sat in the auction to pick a team that was based on conditions and Chennai and we’re disappointed that we only got one home game. We were pleased to have had that one home game, and had a win, but that was going to be a big part of our strategy this year,” Fleming said as quoted by Cricbuzz.

    “But we have to adjust. We got injuries as well, other teams have got injuries but a couple of injuries to key Indian batsmen is again a challenge. But that’s a part of the IPL.

    “We just need to keep scraping and if that’s going to be the quality of this side then I’ll be very proud of that. It’s keeping us on our toes, there’s certainly something happening everyday.”

    “When asked whether there will be a change of strategies and combinations in the absence of Raina, Fleming said, “We can’t replace him (Raina), he’s one of the best performing players in the IPL and the highest run-scorer in the history (of the league). So we can’t replace him, we just got to find a way to minimise his loss.

    “We’ve got good players in our set-up – Dhruv Shorey, Murali Vijay who’s played here last year. So there’s guys here with points to prove, with international experience, and if they get the chance they’ll do their best what Suresh Raina can do.

    “(This is) an opportunity for someone else but you’d like to get someone like Suresh Raina back into your side as quick as possible.

    “The blessing is we’ve got another four days in between and there might be a chance that he could be fit for the next game but we won’t rush him.”

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