IPL 2018: CSK won't be complacent against RR, insists coach Stephen Fleming

PTI

Jaipur: Chennai need just one win from their remaining four matches to book a play-offs berth but head coach Stephen Fleming on Thursday said that his side will not be complacent when they take on Rajasthan in their IPL match on Friday.

"The teams (like Rajasthan) which are in a situation where they have to win each game can be dangerous. We would be playing with full intensity. We know we are a couple of games ahead but we don't want to be in a situation where we need to scrape through in last games. We will not be complacent," Fleming said at pre-match press conference.

CSK are currently at second spot with 14 points from 10 matches.

Fleming said there were not many areas of concern for his team but it's a question of getting better each game and finding the right balance.

Asked about the pitch at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium which has been slow and low, Fleming said, "In the last couple of matches, this wicket had slow, low and variable pace. We have an-all round talent in our side suited to all type of conditions. We need to have the right combination to counter conditions."

He said local player Deepak Chahar is recovering fast from his injury. Talking about Rajasthan skipper Anjikya Rahane, the New Zealander said, "He is a fine player and is doing a nice job of captaining Rajasthan. We would like to get him early because he can be a big influence for their innings.

"If he plays well there can be more freedom for the likes of Jos Buttler and Stokes. He can be more attacking than what he looks like. It is always nice to have the captain early," said Fleming.

Rajasthan leg-spinner Ish Sodhi said it's a do or die situation for his side. "We have got into a do or die situation in every game but with four matches to go we have to take it game by game. Tomorrow we have a tough match against CSK. In the last game against KXIP, we had some momentum going, we need to keep the same momentum going," said Sodhi.

Talking about the drubbing they received at the hands of CSK in the first leg and the planning to stop the likes of Shane Watson who have played here for long, Sodhi said that conditions were different now.

"The pitch can be different and bowling has been a trouble for us. We need to fire in tandem. The batsmen and the bowlers need to fire together," said the India-born New Zealander.

Asked about the influence of team mentor Shane Warne, he said, "He (Warne) is the best leg-spinner to play the game. In T20, bowlers are trying to stop runs only but Warne is aggressive and he wants best out of me. He wants me to not only stop runs but to also get wickets."