“He was always playing, not sure where that story came from” - Stephen Fleming responds to concerns over MS Dhoni’s fitness

Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming has said that captain MS Dhoni was always going to play the Indian Premier League 2023 opener against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Friday (March 31). Admitting that Dhoni has been nursing a sore knee, Fleming added that there were no discussions in the CSK camp over resting him.

In the build-up to the GT vs CSK game at the Narendra Modi Stadium, media reports had claimed that Dhoni could be rested due to a knee niggle. The 41-year-old, though, led the team in Friday’s game, which Chennai lost by five wickets.

The CSK captain suffered from cramps while keeping but got some treatment and continued donning the gloves all game. Speaking about Dhoni, Fleming said at the post-match press conference:

“He was always playing, not sure where that story came from. He was nursing a sore knee throughout the month of pre-season, but today it was just cramps; it wasn’t the knee. He’s not going to be as quick and nimble as he was 15 years ago, but he is still a great leader of the side and, even with the bat, he is still going to play a part. He knows his limitations, and he is a valuable player to have on the field. He is a legend, isn’t he?”

Dhoni played a valuable cameo in the IPL 2023 opener, hammering 14* off seven deliveries with the aid of one six and one four, but it went in vain.

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“There have been some big improvement” - Fleming on Rajvardhan Hangargekar

While CSK failed to defend a total of 178, debutant fast bowler Rajvardhan Hangargekar was among the bright spots for them.

The 20-year-old registered figures of 3-36, getting the wickets of Wriddhiman Saha, Sai Sudharsan and Vijay Shankar. Praising the youngster, the Chennai coach said:

“There have been some big improvement. His first-class work has been a lot more consistent. There are areas he still needs to work on till you are comfortable. Playing in front of 100 thousand people on your debut is a big ask. He did well. There were some lapses, which is going to come with a young player. But getting some rewards and getting some wickets under his belt is huge for him. We will continue working with him.”

Set to chase 179, Gujarat got home in 19.2 overs with five wickets to spare, with Shubman Gill top-scoring with 63 off 36.