EXPERIENCE MATTERS

Here to win IPL, not develop young players - Stephen Fleming

by Prakash Govindasreenivasan • Published on

CSK have defied expectations by notching up four wins in five games © BCCI

Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming rubbished concerns regarding his team's average age - a constant topic of discussion surrounding the MS Dhoni-led side since the end of player auctions in January this year. Fleming, who has coached CSK in each of the eight seasons prior to the two-year suspension, went on to explain the importance of valuing experience and why his focus was on winning the IPL for CSK, and not developing young players.

"They're 35-36, not 55-56. A massive amount has been made of it," Fleming said in a press conference on Wednesday (April 24). "I'm not here to develop young players, I'm here to try and win the competition for the franchise. And that's why we value experience, because we think that gives us the best chance," he added.

CSK made it their priority to reassemble the squad that brought them so much success in the years before their hiatus. In those eight years, CSK made it to six finals and even won two of them. They also bagged silverware in the Champions League T20, a tournament that was scrapped after the 2014 edition. The result of such an auction strategy brought back their former stars MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja through retentions, and Dwanye Bravo and Faf du Plessis through the RTM option. CSK left no stones unturned for older players like Ambati Rayudu (32 years old), Kedar Jadhav (33), Murali Vijay (34), Shane Watson (36), Harbhajan Singh (37) and Imran Tahir (39).

Questions were raised regarding the path that CSK chose to tread while other teams looked to find a balance between experienced players and the ones with potential. CSK's line of thought seemed myopic, and doubts were harboured if there would ever be a third domestic title in their trophy cabinet. With age being the biggest contention for their detractors, it was reckoned that this squad would've been a world-beating one, but perhaps around four or five seasons ago.

For a side that set high fielding standards during their formative years, CSK had a flat day in the field in the IPL opener against Mumbai Indians - one of the biggest concerns for a team full of 30-plus cricketers trying to ace a fast-paced game that puts a lot of importance in fielding.

After that fixture, batting coach Michael Hussey had conceded that CSK weren't going to be the most nimble or dynamic team in the field, but called for the need to be smart. Even if CSK players don't make jaws drop like Trent Boult, Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes on the field, it is the results that will eventually matter. Already, CSK have defied expectations by notching up four wins in five games, three of which were last-over affairs. Even their only defeat so far went all the way till the last ball, when KXIP defended bravely to eke out a narrow win.

Fleming pointed out performances of Watson, Gayle, Bravo and Dhoni in the tournament so far to further elucidate his point regarding age not being a barrier, and that over a long season, it is the more experienced players that lend consistency and hence the chance to progress as far as possible.

"I'll go back to the fact that experienced and professional players dominate a big part of the IPL. Chris Gayle has come back, playing very well. Obviously, Shane Watson and his 100 so far... Dwayne Bravo, MS Dhoni... These guys still have a lot of cricket to play.

"Yes, it is exciting to see young players come and perform. But over a long season, I look for consistency and professionalism. I've found that older players who are still motivated, still fit and still committed, they can provide you consistency that gets you up around mid to top table, which allows you to progress in the competition," Fleming noted.

© Cricbuzz

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