Following the loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Friday, Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming stated that the five-time champions have failed to understand the Chennai pitch in the last few years, reported ESPNcricinfo. During the IPL 2025 mega auction, the Chennai-based franchise went behind the spinners as the MA Chidam Stadium helps the slow bowlers more during the match. However, that was not the case in their second home game of the 18th edition of the cash-rich league, as they lost to RCB by 50 runs.
Speaking after the post-match press conference, the head coach said that there was no home advantage for them as they have not been able to read the pitch and conditions in recent years.
“Well, as we’ve been telling you for a number of years, there was no home advantage at Chepauk. We’ve won away from home a couple of times. And we haven’t been able to read… we’ve been really honest with you. We haven’t been able to read the wickets here in the last couple of years. So, it’s not new. We are trying to come to grips each day with what we get, and we don’t know,” Stephen Fleming said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
In IPL 2024, the pitches at Chepauk didn’t support the spinners, which has been Chennai’s strength from the start. In the last edition of this league, the spinners snapped only 25 wickets, whereas the seamers grabbed 74 wickets.
“It’s not the Chepauk [of old] where you can just go in and play four spinners. We’re having to work really hard to try and understand what the nature of each pitch is, and it’s quite different,” Fleming said.
Recapping the IPL 2025 clash between the Super Kings and the Rajat Patidar-led side, tight bowling spells from pacers Josh Hazlewood and Yash Dayal helped RCB secure a 50-run win over the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side at Chepauk Stadium on Friday.
With two wins in as many games, RCB is at the top of the points table. It was RCB’s first win against CSK at the Yellow Army’s home ground of Chepauk Stadium since 2008. Patidar was awarded the Player of the Match for his brilliant fifty in the first innings.
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