CSK head coach Stephen Fleming explained why MS Dhoni has only played short innings for the team in the ongoing Indian Premier League season. Dhoni is still recovering from a knee injury, so despite being in great form recently, he has not been promoted in the batting order.

Dhoni dazzled fans with a quickfire cameo of 28 runs off just 9 balls against Lucknow Super Giants. He smashed 3 boundaries and 2 massive sixes during his explosive innings. In the post-match press conference, coach Fleming praised the 42-year-old for continuing to do inspirational things on the field and noted that he has been in excellent form since CSK’s pre-season training camp.

“His crisp batting this season, including during pre-season training, has been inspirational. Given his high skill level in the pre-season, the team is not surprised by his stellar performance this year.” Fleming said in the post-match press conference.

CSK head coach Fleming promptly acknowledged Dhoni’s ongoing knee injury struggles. However, Fleming noted that CSK only require 2-3 overs of batting from Dhoni in each game to generate the intended influence, a role Dhoni has mastered this season. Dhoni’s knee injury first became apparent during the previous IPL season, when he was seen limping after nearly every match.

“He had a knee injury and is still recovering from it. That’s why he faces a limited number of deliveries. While he appears capable of batting for long periods, we need to take care of his fitness. We need him healthy throughout the tournament. And in those final 2-3 overs, he’s still the dominator.” continued Fleming.

Dhoni has entertained the fans wherever he has played, whether at CSK’s home stadium or in away games. Fans are enjoying Dhoni’s vintage finishing abilities. Fleming wanted CSK’s top-order batters to step up and not rely entirely on Dhoni’s explosive hitting.

“The batting unit needs to set up opportunities for him to excel so that he can push us into a winning position, which he has been doing consistently and impressively at the moment. When he comes out to bat, he plays the role of entertainer, creating an electric atmosphere that is exhilarating to experience.” added the CSK coach.

In CSK’s previous two matches against MI and LSG, Dhoni scored 20 runs off 4 balls and 28 runs off 9 balls. His fiery cameos have proven pivotal for the team. Against LSG, Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja propelled CSK to a competitive 176 runs. However, KL Rahul and co comfortably chased the total, winning by 8 wickets.

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