CHENNAI: CHENNAI Super Kings' chances of making to the playoffs are practically non-existent as they are at the bottom of the table, eight points off fourth place with just matches to go. As head coach Stephen Fleming said the other day after his team's loss to Hyderabad, they will use the remaining matches to identify opportunities and try young players in order to win and prepare the team for next season. With nothing to lose, the hosts will go all out against Punjab Kings when the two teams clash in the on Wednesday evening at Chepauk. The two sides faced each other a few weeks ago where Punjab won by 18 runs.
CSK has won just one out of their last five matches at home. But Mike Hussey, batting coach, sounded optimistic.
CSK's top order has not fired as a unit and in particular they have not been able to put enough runs in the power play, thus putting undue pressure on the middle order.
"Possibly," he said when asked about experimentation. "I think the goal is still to try and win all the matches. That is the number one goal. Along the way, if we can give opportunities to players, then that will be very good as well,'' he said.
"We are already giving opportunities to some new players. Obviously, Shaik Rasheed and Ayush Mhatre are getting opportunities. Sam Curran is batting No. 3, so new players are getting opportunities. Lots of thinking, lots of planning, I guess. One, for the rest of this season, but then also for future seasons as well. So, it is exciting. It is exciting for different players to get opportunities. But as I said, still the main focus is to try and win all the matches. That is our number one goal.
"It has been disappointing in that front that we have not been able to fire as much as we would have liked. I have to really take my hat off to those guys, both Rachin (Ravindra) and (Deepak) Hooda. Their attitude has been first-class. Obviously disappointed to be in and out of the team. But they could have easily complained and moaned and just not been interested for the rest of the season. But their attitude towards training and improving has been unbelievable."
''Rachin has spoken a lot about how he had a choice. He could either just be angry and grumpy about not getting, left out of the team or he could use this last three or four weeks or whatever it is to improve his game, work on some new shots. If he gets to play again, then fantastic. If he does not, then he still wants to use this time to improve his game. Again, it speaks volumes of his character. I have been really impressed because it has been a difficult season in that front, unlike CSK to change so much.