Dream11 IPL 2020: Stephen Fleming pokes fun at MS Dhoni, Chennai team's average age

MS Dhoni and his Chennai side finally put to rest any and all questions regarding their fitness and lineup after an emphatic win over KL Rahul's Punjab in Dream11 IPL 2020 yesterday. After three straight losses, many people questioned Chennai's decision to continuously back players who seemed to be struggling with form. Coach Stephen Fleming has also been fielding a constant barrage of inquiries as to why the once-great side have had such a poor outing at Dream11 IPL 2020. 

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Chennai's poor showing at Dream11 IPL 2020

After a close win over Mumbai that saw Ambati Rayudu and Faf du Plessis score 71 off 48 and 58* off 44 respectively, it was assumed that Chennai had arrived at Dream11 IPL 2020 with a mission to win. However, a second game defeat to Rajasthan appeared to put Chennai in a free fall that they seemed unable to stop. Rayudu's injury cost the team an in-form opener and ultimately cost them stability at the top of the order.

Veteran bowlers Piyush Chawla and Lungi Ngidi went for 13.75 and 14 runs an over, allowing Rajasthan to make that extra couple of runs that became the difference between winning and losing. Dhoni only came in to bat by the end of the 14th over, by when Chennai required 17 runs an over to win. By the end of the 19th over, he had made only 9 runs off 12 balls, presumably to try and save the net run rate. He smashed 3 back-to-back sixes in the last over, but it was too little, too late for the side. 

Dhoni was severely criticised for his decision to come out to bat so late. This critique was repeated in Chennai's loss to Delhi, when again Dhoni came out in the 16th over, by when the required run rate was 18. The game against Hyderabad seemed to change things, with Dhoni coming in in the 7th over. He ended up making 47* in Chennai's closest chase yet. 

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Fleming's jab at MSD 

During their game with Punjab in yesterday's Dream11 IPL 2020 match, Chennai's coach Stephen Fleming took a jab at MSD and the talk surrounding his batting position. Fleming was watching on as openers Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis put together a record-breaking opening partnership of 181 - the entire run chase - when he was called on for an interview by the commentators.

During the interview, Sunil Gavaskar remarked that if Chennai won the game without losing a wicket there would be no more discussions on Dhoni's position. To this, Fleming replied in jest that "It will still come up that maybe he should have batted at No. 1. I am prepared for it every time I have a press conference but it will a nice situation to have it yes."

He also joked about the side being the oldest side in the Dream11 IPL 2020 when Anjum Chopra asked him how he thought ‘youngsters’ like Sam Curran were doing in the side. Fleming joked about this, saying that using youngsters and Chennai in the same sentence was an oxymoron.

You can find the Chennai Dream11 IPL schedule here, and the Dream11 IPL points table here. All of our Dream11 IPL 2020 coverage can be found here. 

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Image Credits: IPL website