Dhoni is a great finisher, says RPS coach Stephen Fleming
Rising Pune Supergiant coach Stephen Fleming has praised MS Dhoni’s end overs batting skills and described the former India skipper as a great finisher. Dhoni’s calmness in high-pressure situations is one of his greatest assets and against Sunrisers that came to the fore, Fleming said.
Dhoni overcame his lean patch (61 runs from five matches) with a match-winning 34-ball 61. "It was vintage wasn't it," Fleming was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo. "It was a performance that was befitting of a man who has the reputation of being a great finisher."
"There has been a discussion around when was the last time he has played an innings like that. "You have to remember playing an innings like that [is hard]. We had got a bit blasé about how special they were. But yesterday, he proved again that when he is in the
"People were questioning his form, but certainly from the finishing point of view, I will reiterate we have got a bit blasé because it was happening so often. We benefited from it at Chennai [Super Kings] a lot and people were yearning for a performance like that. And like all great players do, he delivered."
Fleming said Dhoni wants Pune to do well this season.
"Yes, [he was anxious]. He was determined. He has been training a lot. He has certainly hit a lot of balls and it was all building up to an innings of substance. He desperately wants us to do well this year. After last year, we all felt that we needed more contributions from everybody. He, in particular, was the one to put his hand up. So he has been wanting to win a game. Smith, as well, has been wanting to win a game and our big players want to contribute and one of our biggest did that yesterday which was great."
Dhoni took 19 runs off Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the penultimate over. The Purple cap holder had not conceded over 10 runs in an over while bowling in the last five.
"The calmness he shows in such situations is one of his greatest assets," Fleming said. "And yesterday, it was to the fore. We thought that it was probably late and we had not got too much of the total to leave us with a good chase in the end, but he proved that, with the hitting and batting skills and the power that players have these days, no score is impossible and that puts so much pressure on the bowlers. And good bowlers too, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been bowling very well. It was a good match-up and a good result for us."