Stephen Fleming, the head coach of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), expressed his disappointment over the missed opportunity to acquire the services of their former net bowler, Varun Chakravarthy, during the IPL auctions. Fleming admitted that not being able to retain Chakravarthy “still hurts us” as the talented spinner had troubled CSK’s batters, including skipper MS Dhoni, during his stint as a net bowler.
Chakravarthy, who played his first IPL game at the Chepauk, made a significant impact in Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) six-wicket victory over CSK. His performance in the match validated CSK’s regret of not being able to secure his services. Chakravarthy was initially bought by Punjab Kings (formerly Kings XI Punjab) for Rs 8.4 crore in the 2019 auction, and KKR later acquired him for Rs 4 crore in 2020, retaining him ever since.
Fleming acknowledged that Chakravarthy’s talent was evident when he bowled against CSK in the nets, and the team would have loved to have him at a higher price this year. He praised the off-spinner, referring to him as a “weapon” and expressing his excitement about Chakravarthy’s performance.
Reflecting on CSK’s loss in the match, Fleming admitted that the team misread the conditions. He highlighted the challenge of predicting the surfaces due to the dew factor and emphasized that they are still learning and adapting to the new conditions at Chepauk. Having returned to playing at home after two years, CSK is striving to understand the changed conditions, which differ from their previous experience in 2019.
Meanwhile, KKR’s assistant coach, Abhishek Nayar, praised Rinku Singh for his performance and described him as an ideal player to have in any team. Nayar commended Singh’s ability to play spin and his success in domestic cricket, especially on challenging pitches.
Nayar also mentioned the behind-the-scenes hard work that contributed to the change in Chakravarthy’s fortunes. He highlighted the discussions held after the previous season to address the challenges faced by the spinner. Nayar further explained that Chakravarthy has been utilizing his deliveries differently this year, with a greater emphasis on using variations that move away from the batsmen.
In summary, CSK’s regret over missing out on Varun Chakravarthy was evident as he made a significant impact against them in the IPL match. Fleming praised Chakravarthy’s talent and performance, while also acknowledging the team’s need to adapt to the changed conditions at Chepauk. KKR’s assistant coach, Nayar, lauded Rinku Singh’s abilities and highlighted the hard work that contributed to Chakravarthy’s improved performance.