Definitely been directive from Fleming to keep pushing: Hussey

CHENNAI: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) bating 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 bating depth goes all the way to number ten and the Impact Player rule means they can have another bater in their line-up if needed, resulting in baters like Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube making quick and impacful knocks with the bat.

Hussey also added ater 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 bating order keeps lengthening.

“I think we’ve got MSD (MS Dhoni) at number eight, which is crazy, like, and MSD is bating 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 fited into the side’s aggressive approach in the absence of Devon Conway. Ater 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 unsetled 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.’