CSK still trying to find its best combination, says Fleming

Just past the halfway mark in IPL 2024, defending champions Chennai Super Kings find themselves in the mid-table, and their first loss at home of the season has revealed some chinks in the armour.

Having built a reputation of playing with a fixed eleven over the years, this season has seen a change in the action-plan with the likes of Rachin Ravindra being dropped and Daryl Mitchell finding himself in and out of the team, and up and down the order. They've also had to contend with some injury concerns but all of it has led coach Stephen Fleming to admit that they're not fully there yet with regards to their best combination.

"It's a mix of trying to find that [the best XI], and also a bit of form. We are little bit uncomfortable with some areas, so we're just trying to find not a quick fix but try and find the right combination," said Fleming after their game against Lucknow Super Giants on April 23.

"And who are the players that are going to contribute in the back-end of the tournament the most, we've got another change coming up with Mustafizur in a couple of games. So we're just trying to prepare a side that will give us a run home. We have had injuries, we have been a little bit unsettled. But main thing is getting guys in key areas and in form. And sometimes that will take a bit of time. Yeah, there has been some change - some of it has been forced upon us and some of it has been form," he said.

Mitchell was sent in at No. 3 today after being used in the middle-order on previous occasions without much success.

"There's a lot of pressure obviously. But getting him [Mitchell] up the order is more comfortable for him I think, or me putting him down the order in a hitting role wasn't his best position. So we're looking to redefine that and put him up the order where his best performances have been internationally. And that might take a little bit of time. But certainly, the top three need to contribute the majority of the runs. Ruturaj did that today, so hopefully if he can continue his form and the other guys can pick that up...we're in each game, we're not firing in all cylinders in any means but we're in each game," said Fleming.

Compounding their woes has been the lack of adequate support for spinners on their home turf, according to Fleming. While they've won their three previous games at the MA Chidambaram stadium this season, the dew-factor coupled with a true surface nullified CSK's spinners against LSG which left Fleming ruing.

"We've had one pitch which was an excellent one I think, it turned and we won comfortably. Yeah, I'd like more synergy between the pitch and what we're trying to do. And I'd unashamedly say that it's your home ground, you got to defend and you pick teams accordingly. So when it's out of sync, you find it very difficult. It's not quite right yet but you just got to be good enough to play what's in front of you. We know that we can be stronger if conditions were a little bit different.