'It was emotionally great for us' - Stephen Fleming opens up on MS Dhoni's game changing cameo against DC

MS Dhoni’s blistering knock of 18* off just 6 deliveries helped the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beat the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the first Qualifier of IPL 2021. And now, the Head Coach of the CSK franchise, Stephen Fleming has stated that Dhoni’s innings was an emotionally great moment for the ‘Men in Yellow’.

Adding that there was a lot of pressure on the CSK skipper, Fleming said that Dhoni once again stepped up for the CSK side. Labelling Dhoni as a world-class player, the 48-year-old Fleming opined that the veteran might even come out to bat at No.5 in the IPL final.

“It was emotionally great for us. We wish him (well) every time he goes out, we know the pressure that he is under and the expectations that is on him every time he goes out, and once again, he came up trumps for us. It was emotional in the changing rooms, that’s very important.

He is a world-class [player] and he may come out no. 5 in the final, we know how good he is but we are also trying to utilize our other resources well,” said Stephen Fleming in the post-match press conference.

I had a lot of technical discussion with MS Dhoni: Stephen Fleming

Stephen Fleming also revealed that he spoke a lot with MS Dhoni during the match between CSK and DC. Adding that both of them discussed a lot of technical stuff, Fleming concluded by stating that when Dhoni was clear that he wanted to go out, he did not want to hold the CSK skipper back.

“We had a lot of chat, I think we spoke more in these 20 overs than we have in a long time. There was a lot of technical discussion and just trying to work out how this was going to unfold, who was going to make maximum impact.

But I tell you what when the captain gets that look in his eye and says ‘I’ll go’…. there has been well-documented times when he has done that. And today was one of that. And so I ain’t holding him back, and we saw the result of that,” concluded Stephen Fleming.