IPL 2025 mein Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ko ek badi jhatka laga jab Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ne unhe unke hi ghar, Chepauk Stadium mein 50 runs se hara diya. Ye pehli baar tha 2008 ke baad, jab CSK ko apne home ground par RCB se haar mili. Lekin match ke baad jitna discussion scorecard ka tha, utna hi charcha CSK ke batting strategy ka bhi hua.
Modern T20 cricket mein jahan har team explosive batting se opening karti hai, wahin CSK ab bhi apni traditional ‘build and anchor’ approach follow kar rahi hai. Slow and steady, innings ko build karo aur end mein pace badhao – ye CSK ka mantra raha hai. Is strategy ne unhe Mumbai Indians ke khilaf jeet dilayi, jab unhone 156 ka target successfully chase kiya. Lekin RCB ke against 196 ka target mushkil ban gaya.
Match ke baad press conference mein jab ek reporter ne CSK ke approach ko outdated kaha, to Stephen Fleming ne turant jawab diya.
“In the first game, you chased 156 in almost 20 overs. Today, you scored 146. I know this is your way of playing cricket, but do you think it’s kind of getting outdated?”
Is sawal par Fleming ne jhalak dikhayi apne fiery mode ki:
“What do you mean by my way of playing? Just see the end – who wins it! It’s a positive brand of cricket. Firepower hai humare paas, har line-up mein. Bas hum ball No.1 se slog nahi karte, toh iska matlab outdated nahi ho jaata. Silly question, really,”
Reporter ne jab clarification diya ki woh CSK ko discount nahi kar rahe, toh Fleming ne aur bhi clear kar diya:
“You sort of are. Silly question.”
Aage baat karte hue Fleming ne Chepauk pitch ko lekar bhi insight diya:
“As we’ve been telling you for years, there’s no typical home advantage at Chepauk now. Wickets unpredictable hain, hum bhi samajhne ki koshish kar rahe hain har match mein. Ye woh Chepauk nahi hai jahan aap 4 spinners ke saath jaa sakte ho. Har pitch nayi challenge lekar aati hai.”
Toh baat simple hai – CSK ka approach ‘outdated’ nahi, bas thoda different hai. Aur jaise Fleming ne kaha, “end dekhna, judgment mat dena.”
Ab CSK ka next clash hoga Rajasthan Royals (RR) ke against on March 30 at Barsapara Stadium. Kya CSK apni batting approach se critics ko galat prove karega? Dekhna interesting hoga!
