Last Updated:
Eric Simons confirmed that MS Dhoni will play, despite not coming to the ground to train ahead of the match.
Eric Simons speaking ahead of CSK’s clash against KKR. (PC: Sportzpics)
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) bowling consultant Eric Simons clarified that his side are not ‘going through the motions’ after crashing out of the race for their 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) playoffs, as they prepare to take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday.
“There’s been some really good work done, discussions around individuals and for us as a team, obviously. We are a franchise that has a rich history of winning and doing particularly well. So it’s obviously not a great place to be in, but it’s been a very rewarding place for us to look at it from a perspective of growth of individuals and growth as units, so there is no going through the motions. It’s still been a very rewarding period for us,” Simons said at the pre-match press conference.
When asked about whether CSK will be testing out fresh faces for the last few games, including against KKR, Simons said: “The selection of the side will always be around combinations, looking around in a situation, looking to the future. It’s also about partnerships of bowlers, partnerships of batsmen, and making smart decisions about that, but remaining a proud side and respecting the tournament.”
As for MS Dhoni, Simmons said the CSK captain will play, despite not coming to the ground to train ahead of the match.
“He knows his situation very well. He knows where he is in terms of his preparations. He always works very hard at the beginning of a tournament and then allows himself to taper off because he gets himself in a space where he’s ready. So no issues. He just knows when he is prepared and when he’s not,” Simons added.
More Than One Way To Skin A Cat
After missing out on the IPL playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time in their history, questions have come up on CSK’s approach of imposing their trust in experience.
When asked about whether the influx of youth in the side has promoted a rethink, Simons said: “I don’t know if it’s about throwing everything out the window. I think we still have a certain attitude towards T20 cricket.”
“I think sometimes when you look at figures, you get confused by them. I will go back to one of the first rounds of the tournament. We saw two batsmen walk over the weekend and score a 20-22-ball hundred, and play with incredible aggression, play with some huge shots, and a lot was said about it. And we saw Ruturaj score a 50 in 22 balls with precision, and very few people noticed what he’d done.”
“So I think there are different ways of achieving objectives. So, yes, do we look at the game differently and have we spent time analysing where the game is? It’s not a case of changing your template, but a constant looking at where the game is moved. But I don’t think it’ll be it won’t be a complete change of our template.”
“There’s more than one of skinning a cat, but I truly believe that this adversity will not define us as a team, but our attitude towards it, and I think that’s where I know behind the scenes how we’ve approached it as an adversity and what we’ve done. So I don’t think you’ll see a completely new template. I think what you’ll see is a tweak in the way that we play the game because we still believe in it with great confidence,” he added.
- First Published:
