We were pretty much written off: Coach Fleming spells CSK's winning mantra

Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming says the 2018 win was very emotional

October 16, 2021 10:31 am | Updated 11:12 pm IST - Chennai

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) players pose with the trophy after winning final of the Indian Premier League 2021 between the CSK and the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) players pose with the trophy after winning final of the Indian Premier League 2021 between the CSK and the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming said that the title win this year is special because his side was written off after a disappointing season in 2020.

“It is very hard to rank them (the titles). I think, the win in 2018, coming back, was very emotional, but there is a lot of hard work in this one,” said Fleming.

“I don’t think a lot of people had any hopes for us to be able to maintain our competitiveness during this cycle. We were pretty much written off.

“So, there is a little bit of satisfaction around that and a lot of pride in what the players have been able to achieve and maintain the standards over a number of months and that was a challenge for an ageing side,” added the former New Zealand skipper.

Commenting on the team’s philosophy, Fleming pointed out the importance of experience, in a format that is widely believed is for youth, as the key behind the team’s consistency.

“We have things we believe in and we pick players who can fill roles. We have got some outstanding leaders and experienced players. People call them old, but I call them experienced and that helps create an environment that is very calm and understands what it is doing,” he said.

When asked if it feels like the end of an era with a new auction set to take place with two new teams joining next year, Fleming said, “We don’t know.”

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.