CSK managing MS Dhoni's workload: Stephen Fleming on reduced batting role for ex-captain

Yeah, he was a good addition. I think one thing to note in the tournament’s been the lack of spin. I I read an article saying that spinners aren’t spinning the ball, but you’ve got to be a little bit fair. The dew in a lot of places hasn’t allowed it to happen, and a lot of the pitchers haven’t allowed it to happen. So we’re looking at the back half of the tournament and somewhat hoping that the dryness with the heat will start to bring spinners into play as another way to counter the the aggressive batting that’s going on. So Mitch is pretty savvy he he is used to bowling on wickets that only turn a little bit in New Zealand smaller grounds and the challenge has always been with today’s you’re doing the same skill set 8 overs of the of similar type of bowling but there’s some subtlety there that we like and always have liked. It’s just been almost a little bit unfair that he’s had divide his time but he did very really well. No, we’re a little bit horses for courses with, as you say, through necessity in some cases, through choice in others. We have made more changes. But it’s that type of tournament. It’s pretty demanding with conditions against opposition that are that that are coming at you in different ways. So sometimes you got to do things differently. If you do things the same all the time, teams will catch you. So we’re looking on always how we can improve and sometimes being too static is an opportunity for teams to go past. So we’re looking over all that stuff, but we are aware that changing the team too often can be unsettling. But we’re trying to make it a bit of a strength. Yeah, don’t worry about position. It’s time of the game that we’re looking at. He we we’ve said earlier on that when he recovered from knee surgery last year, which was quite debilitating for him, there was going to be a certain workload this year that he could manage. Now one of our challenges is that we’ve got a good backup keeper, but he’s no Ms. Dhoni and we want to keep Ms. Stoney on the field doing what he does best, which is the last 2-3 overs, 4 overs with the bat and his keeping and his ability to share tactical advice with the new captain’s really important. So we’re valuing some other things physically it would be it’s it’s risky and we’ve seen that early on in the season with a little bit of muscle injury that if he he does bet too long we run the risk of losing him. So we’re trying to find that balance where he can have an impact on the match by just hitting sixes and fours, which he’s done pretty well and keep and keep as well as some of the best in the competition, if not the best in the competition. So don’t underestimate his influence on this on the team just because he comes in at #9. There’s a a timing aspect, but we’re very wary of what he can give us and we we will Max that out, but we don’t want to Max it out where we lose him. So it’s a delicate balance, but trust me, his best interest is with us and his interest in performing well for us is still very high. Put the nation at ease. He’s OK obviously, I hope it’s the case. Spinners do come into the tournament. We we have resource and we saw Simajit Singh coming in the last game and and do well. Mukesh Chaudhry’s had experience at this level and is a fine bowler. Raj Hunger Gate is there as well he can do so we’ve got good cover. We knew we were going to lose players. We thought most of Azir was going to be here longer. The BCC, the BCB board pulled him a little bit earlier than we’d hoped but we’re covered for that so that that planning is in place. Some of the other injuries have been a little bit more problematic but we’re OK we’ve we’ve got good resource to cover it man a good group of young players that are ready to go. He he had a slight strain way way back like way back game three-game four and that and we’re just nursing that through. But his role has been pretty clear. It’s from about, I don’t know, the back half, three or four overs, you can’t always get that, that timing. It depends on a wicket and he’s he’s the best guide for that as well. So don’t don’t have a player that’s, that’s the tactic we’re using with him. The last three to four overs. If it works out that a wicket falls then great. If it’s closer to 20 then we can retire players. But that’s not really in our DNA so that that’s why it comes and goes around that point. But it’s only going to be a hitting role towards the end. You guys write it, so that’s fine. I’ve told you he’s nothing there in terms of small muscle injury ages ago, but it’s only become news now. Yeah, he he can run. It’s just we don’t want to put him. He’s only going to bat for a long period of time so finding that point keeping is fine. He’s very economical with his movement so he can and keep in his in his hands and his hand eye and speed is as good as any. So no, no problem with that. We’re just guarding against him batting for five or six overs him to Sprint every couple of balls. So it’s a specific role that we’re using him for. It’s been partly last year but it’s now become an issue. But it hasn’t really changed. Lack of emphasis based on what you saw from sunrises last night, I guess you could say, but like our style and and one that’s been successful for us in the last 5-6 years has been based on a lot of run scoring at the top and consistent run scoring. So we are not as risky as other teams, but we’re still getting scores that are are similar. I know there’s a lot of interest in that. We’re not all going to play the same way and with the players that we’ve got, we think we can do it a different way and we’re not going to conform to that just because it is great to watch and it’s tough on the bowlers. But we’ve got a style of play that we’re happy with and we’re in the mix. So we’ll just submit that that’s our style.