Important to make most of home advantage: Simons

CHENNAI: Chennai Super Kings bowling consultant Eric Simons said that it is imperative to make the most of the home conditions, especially in the all-important second half of the ongoing Indian Premier League 2023.

Super Kings, currently on 10 points from eight matches, will play four of its six remaining league games at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, a venue where the MS Dhoni-led team has excelled over the years. Heading into the home match against Punjab Kings, scheduled on Sunday, CSK has a 67 per cent (2 victories in 3 games) win record at Chepauk in IPL 2023.

“Home games are massively important. We saw it after the last [away] game. Rajasthan [Royals] knew exactly how to play on its conditions (Jaipur). It takes a while for the opposition to adjust. I do not think a team has got as good a record as CSK has [at home]. That is one of the advantages. We have got a team that understands our conditions,” Simons said in the pre-match press conference on Saturday.

“Winning at home is very important. You take as many [points] as you possibly can. This is the business end of the tournament; this is when it gets real in terms of the results. It is good to have those home games now, so it is very important. Regardless of the fact that it is the back end of the tournament, being at home is obviously very important if you utilise it very well,” added former South Africa international Simons.

‘Medical team working with Stokes, Chahar daily’

Simons also said that the medical team is working on a day-to-day basis with the injured duo of Ben Stokes and Deepak Chahar to get them prepared for action. While all-rounder Stokes initially suffered a toe injury in a training session and later endured a setback, pace spearhead Chahar pulled his hamstring in the away match against Mumbai Indians.

“Every day, there is reassessment. The medical staff are doing the best they possibly can to get them fit and ready. The important thing is to get them fit and ready and also get them match-ready. It is a balancing act because they have to do some work once they are fit. They (medical staff) keep us posted as best as they can; they are working with them every day.”