IPL 2020: Having hit rock bottom, MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings hint at trying youngsters in remaining games

Abu Dhabi, Oct 20: After hitting rock bottom in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, Chennai Super Kings' coach Stephen Fleming and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni have hinted the team will ring in the changes in the remaining games by trying out youngsters.

With just three wins from 10 matches so far, CSK now have only mathematical chances of making the play-offs. They next take on defending champions Mumbai Indians on October 23. Chennai have to win all their remaining games in the tournament and hope that the likes of Kings XI Punjab, Rajasthan Royals, and Sunrisers Hyderabad do horribly in their remaining matches.

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Out of 10 games, CSK have won just three so far and slumped to the bottom of the table. The Chennai-based franchise also has the worst net run rate amongst teams having six points each.

IPL 2020: This team may have run out of juice: CSK coach Stephen Fleming

After CSK suffered a seven-wicket loss to Rajasthan Royals on Monday (October 19), coach Fleming said there will be a shift in the team's policy of sticking to a squad. "I think it's fair that we will be turning that over," Fleming said. The three-time winners' poor run this season has put a question mark on the approach and Dhoni, trying to justify it, said that the younger lot has not done enough to force a change, until now.

"You don't want to chop and change. Insecurity is something you don't want to prevail in the dressing room. Also the youngsters, we didn't see the spark to push the guys," Dhoni said at the presentation ceremony.

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"But what this result has done is give those youngsters a chance in the rest of the tournament. Maybe going forward we bring them in and they play without pressure," he added.

Fleming said the current slump should not be a bolt from the blue for the side, which has an average age of over 30.

"We have been really consistent over the years with our selection. It is fair to say that looking at the table now, this team has run out of a bit of juice. But if you look at the three year cycle we won the first year, lost the last one last year," Fleming explained.

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"We always thought the third year was an ageing group and would be difficult and Dubai has chanced us with a whole new set of requirements. We have some players that we will look at...," the former New Zealand captain added. Fleming said the slow conditions and some superb bowling by Royals' spinners did not let his side settle into a rhythm."

Barring Sam Curran, CSK hardly showed any confidence in the youngsters, nor prepared them for the upcoming season. The Men In Yellow will surely look to blood in young faces in the remaining games to build a team for the future for a large number of senior players also affected the team's fielding efforts. Dhoni has been one of the biggest supporters of fit players who'd pull off some spectacular catches and save crucial runs with their fielding efforts.

(With inputs from PTI)