We are lacking steam, says Super Kings skipper Dhoni

The 39-year-old said that CSK is lacking steam and added that the side needs to come back with a clearer picture for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 games. Super Kings, one of the most dominant teams in IPL history, has lost two of the three games it has played, with the latest being a 44-run thrashing at the hands of Delhi Capitals (DC).

“I don’t think it was a good game for us. There was no dew, but the wicket did slow down. We are lacking a bit of steam in our batting and that hurts. The run rate keeps on mounting after such slow starts and adds pressure. We need to figure that out,” said Dhoni.

“We need to come back with a clearer picture, looking at the combination. May be, the team balance will get better once Ambati Rayudu comes back in the next game.” Rayudu, who struck a brilliant 48-ball 71 in CSK’s five-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL opener, missed the next two games due to a hamstring injury.

Dhoni hinted that Rayudu would be available for Chennai’s next match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on October 2. “His inclusion will give us the room to experiment with an extra bowler. There are quite a few things we can think about. We are one batter extra to start off, so the players need to step up,” added the former India skipper.

Dhoni also asked his bowlers to pull up their socks after two ordinary outings. “We need to get better with our lengths, lines and pace. The spinners have not come to the party yet. We are bowling good deliveries, but we are giving away the boundaries a bit too often,” he said.