Chennai Super Kings have struggled to get their lineup right and the team’s misfiring spinners have added to their woes after two successive Indian Premier League losses, team coach Stephen Fleming said.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s team went down to Delhi Capitals in Dubai on Friday after managing just 131 for seven while chasing a target of 176.
Fleming said spin bowlers Piyush Chawla and Ravindra Jadeja had been unable to exploit slow pitches after winning the season opener against Mumbai.
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“It’s an area of concern because it is such a strength for CSK,” Fleming told reporters in a virtual chat.
“The style of play that we have developed over the last 12 years is heavily based on spin,” he added.
Chawla claimed two and gave away 33 runs from his four overs against Delhi while Jadeja went wicketless as he leaked 44 runs.
Jadeja and Chawla’s combined eight overs cost 95 runs in the team’s previous loss to Steve Smith’s Rajasthan Royals.
Chennai’s batting has also disappointed, though South African veteran Faf du Plessis leads the tournament’s individual score chart with 173 runs.
Dhoni was criticised earlier this week coming down the order in the side’s unsuccessful chase against Delhi.
“We seek to be a little clearer of what we are doing and perhaps what we are missing is a bigger contribution at the top,” said Fleming.
“We are trying to find combinations where we get the best players in at the right time. To keep shunting the order all over the pace is not our style.”
