IPL 2020: Coach Stephen Fleming avers Ruturaj Gaikwad has shown 'he's the right player'

Chennai coach Stephen Fleming has praised young batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad and said he is happy that the batsman made the most out of the opportunity given to him.

The opener scored a 53-ball 72 in Chennai's competitive run chase of 173 against Kolkata at the Dubai International Stadium, Dubai on Thursday. In the end, Ravindra Jadeja played an outstanding knock as the three-time winners snatched victory from the jaws of defeat by 5 wickets off the final ball of the contest. Gaikwad was adjudged the Man of the Match award for his match-winning knock.

'We are happy': Stephen Fleming

"He has done well in the last couple of games. We are happy that he has taken the opportunity. We look back at the missed opportunities when he got COVID. He missed out on the pre-season, he came back after about 4-5 weeks in isolation. We tried to get him involved but he was a long way from being ready. So we're just happy now to create an opportunity and he has shown us that he's the right player," Fleming said during the post-match press conference.

"We were playing well, certainly we lost wickets and partnership of Rayudu and Ruturaj. But we felt we got ourselves in a position where we were probably favorites to win... Mixed emotions, when you are sitting here and out of the competition, you are watching not as nervous. Very pleased to get the win," he said. 

READ: IPL 2020: Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad Doesn't Feel 'Chennai's Campaign Has Come To An End'

Dream11 IPL 2020: Chennai become the first team to be eliminated

The MS Dhoni-led Chennai became the first team to be eliminated from the competition. This is also the first time that the former champions will not be making it to the playoffs of the marquee tournament since the inaugural edition in 2008. 

Both Gaikwad, as well as Chennai, will now be hoping to register a consolation win and sign off on a high when they face the 2014 finalists Punjab in their final league match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi on Sunday. 

READ: IPL 2020: Quinton De Kock Talks About His Role, Says ''look To Get Off To The Best Start"

(With ANI Inputs)