Fleming: 'We were sloppy in the field, we lacked accuracy under pressure'

Stephen Fleming, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) coach, acknowledged the team's improved batting effort in the game against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Tuesday night, but was scathing in his assessment of their fielding and execution with the ball after they slumped to their fourth straight defeat at IPL 2025.

For the first time in five games, their openers managed to bat beyond the powerplay, with Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway putting together 61 in 6.3 overs in their chase of 220. But CSK then stuttered through the middle phase after losing Ruturaj Gaikwad cheaply, and saw their asking rate spiral to 17 for the last four overs. MS Dhoni, batting at No. 5, hit three sixes in his 12-ball 27, but was out in the final over, and CSK eventually fell 18 short.

"The positives are we batted a bit better," Fleming said in the press conference. "We've had some substance from the top order, which was a bit lacking, so we were able to then construct the chase. We just weren't able to keep the run rate at a good level through the middle and it was just too much towards the end. But we've been in the game for a lot longer, which is a positive aspect."

On the field, though, it seemed an unending nightmare for CSK as they repeatedly dropped catches. Two of those helped Priyansh Arya break free to wallop a 39-ball century. Khaleel Ahmed should have had him caught and bowled in the very first over on 6, while Mukesh Choudhary put down a skier at long-off in the 12th off Ashwin, when Arya was on 73.

Those weren't their only slip-ups. Ravindra reprieved Shashank Singh on 38 at deep midwicket off Noor Ahmad in the 17th, and Shashank went on to hit 52 not out to help PBKS post 219 for 6, with the last four overs producing 49.

"The game was really lost in the field, I thought we were sloppy in the field, and we just lacked accuracy under pressure at certain times," Fleming said. "We were put under pressure by a fine innings [from Arya] but we've got to be better than that in terms of shutting it down. So that's where the game got away from us.

"We're 18 runs short in a big run chase, so we can look at three sixes here and there. It's been a frustrating season so far. The catching has been poor, but it was poor from both sides tonight. Whether it was something in the light I'm not sure, but certainly for us that was an area of concern."

Fleming looked back at the margin of defeat and felt "we weren't too far away".

"If you're going to win the IPL you need your top three-four to get a majority of the runs," he said. "We haven't been doing that, so it was pleasing that we got off to a more solid start. We weren't able to just maintain a high momentum through the middle. Partly through good bowling and maybe we were trying to push it too hard. It was something we'll review, but it's not a bad chase. It's three hits away but we just lost a little bit of momentum through the middle."