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'No Home Advantage': CSK Coach's Shocking Statement After Humiliating Loss Vs RCB

Bhargav Dixit

Stephen Fleming addresses the reporters. [Source: @balltamperrer/X]Stephen Fleming addresses the reporters. [Source: @balltamperrer/X]

As if Chennai Super Kings losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 50 runs at the Chepauk for the first time since 2008 wasn’t already enough, their head coach Stephen Fleming provided a bigger shocker while interacting with journalists after the match. As per Fleming, CSK don’t have a home advantage.

Since time immemorial, the franchise is known to thrive due to the spin-friendly conditions at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Fleming, who has been their coach since 2009, referred the surface getting tackier during a 197-run chase against RCB last night.

“Well, as we've been telling you for a number of years, there was no home advantage at Chepauk. We haven't been able to read the wickets here in the last couple of years. So, it's not new. We are trying to come to grips each day with what we get, and we don't know,” Fleming said during the press conference.

Stephen Fleming Surprises Cheteshwar Pujara

Veteran India batter Cheteshwar Pujara, who was part of Super Kings’ title-winning campaign in 2021, expressed surprise at what Fleming said after their third-biggest loss at home (by runs). As per Pujara, Chennai, Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders are three franchises who can’t complain of not having a home advantage.

“It is [surprising] because, at CSK, you can't complain. It's one franchise where they've been preparing pitches according to their strengths. You should [use home advantage]; if he's saying that [there is no home advantage] they don't have a say, then I'm quite surprised,” Pujara said during ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut.

Pujara, instead, pointed out shortcoming in Chennai’s batting unit. In their first two IPL 2025 matches, Indians batters namely Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda and Shivam Dube haven’t been able to contribute as per the expectations. As a result, batting average and strike rate of 11.12 and 93.68 respectively for CSK’s middle-order batters are the lowest for the season thus far.