Dhoni's absence has impact on team and captaincy: Fleming

Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming Saturday said Mahendra Singh Dhoni's absence had an impact on the team and captaincy, but his side did well in their last match.

"Whenever a great player who is in great form is not in your side, it does have an impact on your team as well as captaincy. You have to make adjustments. But it does not mean that we are not competitive. We still turned out a very good side in the last game and still got well beaten," Fleming told reporters on the eve of their IPL match against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday.

Fleming said Dhoni and Dwayne Bravo will be assessed if they are match fit at the end of the training.

On CSK having a core group of players and support staff, Fleming said the team likes to give players an extended run because their form was measured differently in T20.

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"We tend to look at short form quite separately. We tend to give guys more chances, because we are asking them to play a high-risk game. So it is unfair to look at form after two or three innings, both batting and bowling wise," he said.

"The selection policy of the team is more conservative than others, but it tries to get the right team for any condition, which is a challenge in away matches," he added.

"We are a little bit more settled at home, which is how it should be. But when we travel away we set to work hard on making sure we get the balance between seam bowlers and spinners. That is the simplistic way we look at selecting sides and we're pretty conservative with the emphasis on cohesion."

On Chinnaswamy pitch, Fleming expects a high-scoring game on Sunday, which means there will be more pressure on bowlers and batters.

"It is obviously overcast and a little bit damp around, so you need to wait 24 hours, it is going to change a lot in nature. I think it will be a good track, possibly a high-scoring game which is what we expect. So, pressure on bowlers, but also batters as well," the New Zealander said.

"We will read the pitch tomorrow, but one cannot assume it is going to be 200 versus 200," he said.

On Imran Tahir's success, Fleming said unlike previous years, the South African leggie has been consistent this year.

"This year he has been very consistent and very clear on what he wants to do. He has been our chief wicket-taker. And the way he has done it within the camp please us a lot. His discipline and ability to deliver what we want has been outstanding," Fleming said.

"At times, he has been guilty of hunting wickets, which means he bowls a different style."

HIGHLIGHTS

• Chennai Super Kings are currently the table toppers. 
• Fleming felt MS Dhoni's absence against Sunrisers Hyderabad. 
• Chennai will be up against Bangalore in next game.