Chennai (Tamil Nadu)

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming admitted that during the auction of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, the franchise had considered a wide pool of bowlers but missed out on several who have since found form.

Speaking to reporters after CSK's second match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Chennai on Friday, Fleming said that while multiple options were discussed, he could not clearly recall the exact dynamics behind the final decisions, emphasising that the team had thoroughly evaluated all possibilities at the time.

"I'm trying to think back to the auction process around all those names that you talked about were mentioned. I don't, I can't remember the dynamics. There was a large list of bowlers that we looked at and missed out on that might have been out of form at the time, but are in form now. Trust me, we went over everything. I can't remember those dynamics," Fleming told the reporters.

Fleming's comment came after CSK failed to defend 210 in their second match of IPL 2026 against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Friday in Chennai.

Fleming explained that the traditional idea of "finishers" in T20 cricket is fading, as modern batting demands aggression from the very first ball.

Fleming noted that teams now aim to maintain high scoring rates of 10-12 runs per over throughout the innings, rather than building slowly and accelerating at the end.

"Look, I don't think there is a thing called finishers anymore. It's right from ball one, everyone is going at a rate of knocks. It's not 'build up to the 16th over and then go harder'. Everyone's going hard from ball one. So the run rates of 10, 11, 12 all the way through are what's expected, and you're not really getting the big peaks towards the end," Fleming added.

However, Fleming expressed confidence in CSK's firepower, noting the presence of explosive options like Dewald Brevis and one of the game's best finishers, MS Dhoni. Fleming added that with such depth and power, he is satisfied with the team's ability to maintain a high scoring rate throughout the innings.

"It's just a more aggressive approach to get 240. So you actually have to have players all the way through that are going to be aggressive, and that's certainly the team that we've got. Keep in mind, we've got (Dewald) Brevis on the sideline, and you've got one of the best finishers in the MS (Dhoni), and there's some power there, but Brevis is in the middle. I'm really content with the pace that we can go," Fleming said.

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The five-time IPL champions have been going through a lean phase in the IPL. After finishing at the bottom of the points table last year, they have lost both their opening fixtures and will now lock horns with the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), on Sunday, seeking to regain momentum in the tournament.