IPL 2021: Stephen Fleming reveals why Chennai Super Kings had a spread-out field against Kieron Pollard on the last ball


IPL 2021: Stephen Fleming reveals why Chennai Super Kings had a spread-out field against Kieron Pollard on the last ball

Stephen Fleming and Kieron Pollard, Lungi Ngidi

Mumbai Indians (MI) all-rounder Kieron Pollard clinched the game for his side from the jaws of defeat against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The defending champions beat MS Dhoni’s men by four wickets in match 27 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021

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CSK skipper MS dhoni defied the conventional approach and kept most of his fielders outside the 30-yard circle on the ultimate delivery. Proteas speedster Lungi Ngidi bowled a sharp yorker, which elicited a grounded hit towards the long-on from Pollard. The deep fielder made a fine effort but couldn’t stop the batting pair from completing the double and seal the win for the Indians.

Addressing the post-match presentation ceremony, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming mentioned that he was not surprised to see a spread field.

“Not really (if he was surprised to see the field). Pollard is such a good timer of the ball that you never know what he’s going to do. Got so much to win, to be honest, we were looking for something like the stumps being hit or like the result, we had when we got beaten in the (2019) final. So we’ll go have a look over that. I think there are a lot of other instances that we’ll have a look at rather than just the last ball,” said Fleming.

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Fleming comments on Ravindra Jadeja’s run-a-ball 22 

Jadeja for CSK in IPL 2021
Ravindra Jadeja

Ace CSK all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja played a decent knock of 22* runs off as many deliveries against MI at the Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi. The former Kiwi batsman said that Jadeja tried to rotate the strike and get Ambati Rayudu at the batting end which was the right approach then.

“He just didn’t get away. But at the other end, it was high scoring. So, sometimes it works that way that one person going incredibly well and the other person turns over the strike. So, we looked at the partnership. The last 5-10 overs were very good,” he said.

Also Read | IPL 2021: ‘Chennai Super Kings do not have bowlers who can bowl the yorkers regularly,’ says Irfan Pathan