Stephen Fleming plays down CSK's six-hitting concerns

In a season marred by batting struggles, Chennai Super Kings have had their intent questioned, particularly around the lack of six-hitting across phases. CSK have hit only 32 sixes this season, the lowest tally among the 10 teams. However, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming played down his team's concerns about six-hitting a day after SRH and PBKS combined for 492 runs in 38.3 overs with 30 sixes between them. "We do [struggle with six hitting], but it's not everything," Fleming said on the eve of CSK's game against LSG, who have Nicholas Pooran in their corner with 31 sixes to his name. "I know there's a fascination with power and six hitting, but there's also a couple of teams doing well with good [batting] craft. "And I would be very sad if one day we just talked about sixes and fours like we were competing in a baseball game. The fact that there is still equilibrium between the bat and the ball is one of the game's many appealing aspects. Therefore, I hesitate to get too involved. I love the skill and the ability to do that." Fleming added that there needs to be a balance between the bat and the ball and said that it wasn't easy to hit sixes in CSK's last home game. "It's phenomenal from an athlete point of view, but from the good of the game, balance is still really important. The final game, which we played in Chennai, was difficult. They [KKR] hit two or three when they were batting second innings, but for our boys, whether it's a lack of confidence or intent, it's not that easy. "So it's not just that you can turn up and just hit sixes. Some players are playing absolutely fearlessly, and whether that's inconsistent or consistent, the tournament will tell, but conditions play a big part. But there's still room for craft, and you're still seeing top-class players playing pivotal innings when it's not flat like a road. And I just hope the balance can remain, because while it's great to watch and the skill set we admire, the game is still about a balance between that," he added. CSK was also at the bottom of the points table going into the game in Lucknow. But for a franchise with such a storied history, the curtains don't come down this early in a season, however poor the run of form has been. However, they face a challenging climb with three of their four losses coming at home, where they had hoped to make the most of the conditions. Fleming acknowledged, "It's a big challenge, there's no doubt about it." "So we've got to look at it in small steps and just continue to work to get better at all three facets really, and then you start competing. I think the disappointing aspect in particular the last game was the lack of competition we put up and that hurt a lot. "So there's certainly been a lot of internal soul searching, but also a lot of work around what we need to do. Additionally, it is essential that we present a performance that exemplifies our proud franchise. "So yeah, there's a lot of hurt that we can use as motivation, but it's not about words. It's about players grabbing the moment, finding form, finding their groove, and almost shaking off any apprehension that can creep in when you're just looking for a performance," Fleming added. "But it's not about words. It's about players grabbing the moment, finding form, finding their groove." MS Dhoni's return to the captaincy throne did not spark and immediate detour. CSK instead had their boat rocked sideways once again at home, by KKR. Fleming acknowledged the extent of effort that was needed for a recovery, stating that the team's five-time title-winning captain didn't really possess a 'magic wand'. "Dhoni's influence will always be strong, but he is not a soothsayer and does not possess a magic wand; he cannot simply rub it over the side; otherwise, he would have brought it out earlier. We and MS have worked extremely hard to reverse the situation. "And certainly in both of our careers we've been in situations that require a lot of energy, and we've got to make sure that the energy is put in the right place. Often you can get consumed with things that actually don't matter. So drawing it all down and just making sure we're concentrating on the right things has probably been the key for the last couple of days," Fleming said.