By IANS,
Chennai : Looking forward to his first major coaching assignment, former New Zealand captain, Stephen Fleming, admitted that his stint with the Chennai Super Kings in the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket tournament in South Africa, will have additional pressure, but said he was looking forward to the “challenge”.
Speaking at a “Meet and Greet Players” function organised by the Chennai Super Kings, here Monday, Fleming said: “From my experience last year, I would say that we have a very strong set of core players and that will be the key.
“Managing the foreign signings will be a challenge, no doubt. We have a few senior players and so there is a wealth of experience at the top. The other players, too, are experienced. I am looking forward to my role.”
Fleming heaped praise on Mahendra Singh Dhoni, saying: “Dhoni is a very strong captain who leads from the front. But I think, his role as a player (wicket-keeping and batting) has not received due recognition. I am looking forward to work with him and may be help him expand his knowledge regarding strategies.”
Endorsing the IPL, Fleming said: “It has certainly added more depth and strength to Indian cricket, besides giving it a new dimension.”
Fleming declined to get embroiled in the “multiple captains” controversy that Kolkata Knight Riders coach John Buchanan triggered by saying he would like to experiment with four captains.
“It remains to be seen how it (the theory) plays out. But from Super Kings perspective, we are lucky to have one of the best captains in world cricket (Dhoni) and we will focus on that,” he said.