XtraTime Web Desk: Chennai Super Kings Coach Stephen Fleming has backed the decision to send Kedar Jadhav ahead of Dwayne Bravo in the run chase against Kolkata Knight Riders during the IPL 2020 match at Sheikh Zayed Stadium. Kedar was heavily criticized for not being able to put the bat on ball as he ended up scoring 7 not out from 12 balls. Ravindra Jadeja (21 runs from 8 balls) did play some boundaries towards in the last over but that was not enough as CSK lost the match by 10 runs.
“It comes under the batting resource. Kedar (Jadhav) has been a middle and lower middle order batsman for India. Today he did miss some balls and didn’t work out. You need to put players in different positions as you have so many resources. At the hindsight Kedar plays the off spinner well and dominate that area and also for Jadeja to come and finish the game,” said Fleming during his post match conference.
The CSK coach expressed his disappointment for failing to win the match after having a firm grip on the match. “The performances like today, with the experience we’ve got, we should put it away,” said Fleming.
CSK was once cruising at 101 for 2 in 13 overs and just required another 57 runs off 42 balls but it was then that Narine dismissed a set, Shane Watson, for 50. The previous over (13th) had seen Ambati Rayudu depart on a Kamlesh Nagarkori delivery. The resultant pressure saw CSK manage just 20 runs from the 10th to the 15th over.
“We’ve got a lot of batsmen so the balance is good with six bowlers. Bravo is batting at No. 8 and we are struggling to use him so we don’t think an extra batsman is going to help,” he said.
“Ideally, you want one batsman to bat through. If you give an opening to an IPL team, they’ve got quality players to take it. Today with Narine holding overs back, it made it very difficult in the end.
“You are looking at players going on and making 75 or more and continue that partnership for five more overs, the game would have been a lot more different. KKR hung in there and put pressure on us. We couldn’t accelerate in the end. We are disappointed that we let it slip,” Fleming added.