IPL 2024: Definitely been a directive from Fleming to keep pushing the game forward, says Hussey

Chennai: Chennai Super Kings batting coach Michael Hussey said the side has been continuing with the same aggressive approach of pushing the game forward with the bat, as laid down by head coach Stephen Fleming, something which was one of their keys to success in the 2023 IPL triumph.

CSK’s batting depth goes all the way to number ten and the Impact Player rule means they can have another batter in their line-up if needed, resulting in batters like Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube making quick and impactful knocks with the bat.

Hussey also added after the side’s 63-run win over Gujarat Titans at the MA Chidambaram Stadium that the CSK team management won’t be critical of players who get dismissed in their pursuit of pushing the scoring rate for the team.

“It’s definitely been a directive from Fleming to keep pushing the game forward. With the Impact Player rule coming in, we’ve got basically an extra batsman and an extra bowler throughout the game. So the batting order keeps lengthening. I think we’ve got MSD (MS Dhoni) at number eight, which is crazy, like, and MSD is batting really well at the moment as well.”

“So, because we’ve got so much depth in our resources there, it means the players up the order (aren’t) in two minds. Take the positive route and they’ll certainly have the backing from the coaches and the captain that we’d prefer you to keep trying to push the game forward. If you get out while doing so, that’s fine. You’ll never be criticised for that. Flem’s talk is about playing fast. We want to keep playing fast,” said Hussey in the post-match press conference.

Ravindra, the New Zealand all-rounder, is in his first season with CSK and has seamlessly fitted into the side’s aggressive approach in the absence of Devon Conway. After scoring 15-ball 37 in the tournament opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Ravindra set the Chepauk abuzz with a 20-ball 46 against GT, where he unsettled the bowlers in power-play, taking a special liking to Umesh Yadav and Azmatullah Omarzai.

“He’s just trying to soak up as much knowledge as he possibly can. I think he really feeds off the crowd a bit as well. Once you’ve got a couple of good shots away earlier, I think his confidence grew and he believed that ‘I can perform on this stage and grow from there.’

“He’s had a great start and been awesome to watch. He’s just come here, full of energy, just wants to learn so much and make a positive impact on the team environment. I think he’s just gone out there with a clear mind and a nice positive attitude and got off to a good start. There’s not a lot to work on with these level of world-class players,” added Hussey.

Uncapped right-handed batter Sameer Rizvi smashed Rashid Khan for a six on the first ball of his IPL debut, and Hussey was in awe of the talent the youngster possesses, a glimpse of which Hussey saw in the side’s pre-season camp.

“Well, he’s got a lot of natural hitting ability. We’ve seen it at practice, especially against the spinners. I mean, he can hit a long way and hit the ball very cleanly. But it’s still a big ask for a young player to come in for his first IPL game against arguably the best T20 bowler of all time in Rashid Khan and hit the first ball that you face for six. I mean, that’s just crazy, isn’t it? So we’re very excited for him.”

“He was excited to play, especially here at Chepauk, with such a great crowd. That’s the great thing about youth, they have no fear so they can come out and just play with that complete freedom, right? It was also a bit of a masterstroke from the think tank as well.”

“Because I think we’re all expecting MSD to come out and play those last sort of a few balls. But they realised that he has got some natural power against spin and that’s why they wanted to send the youngster out. He delivered two sixes at the end which was great for his confidence,” concluded Hussey.

–IANS