Chennai Super Kings will miss Lungi Ngidi and Jason Beherendorff in the first two matches as confirmed by coach Stephen Fleming. Both the bowlers did not play the first game and is set to miss the second as well While Ngidi is under mandatory quarantine, there are no reports of the Aussie pacer having joined the CSK outfit as yet. CSK were a pacer short in their season opener and their attack looked lean in front of the attacking opposition batsmen.
CSK take on KL Rahul’s Punjab Kings on Friday (April 16). Lungi Ngidi wasn’t available for the match against the Capitals and now as Stephen Fleming said he won’t be for their second match either, because of the 7-day quarantine upon arriving in India from South Africa.
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Ngidi, along with compatriots Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada, David Miller, and Anrich Nortje, arrived late for the start of the tournament as they were playing Pakistan. Meanwhile, there are no reports of Jason Beherndorff’s arrival in India as yet.
Beherendorff was signed as a replacement for Josh Hazlewood who pulled out of IPL 2021 due to bio-bubble fatigue. Hazlewood’s absence was felt by the franchise who did not have any overseas pacer playing in their first game.
No Lungi Ngidi, Jason Behrendorff In Next Game For CSK: Stephen Fleming
“No, (Lungi) Ngidi won’t be available in time for the next game. So losing Josh Hazlewood, which was the plan to have him available for these games now, is a blow as an option upfront. Ngidi will be arriving soon (from quarantine) and (Jason) Behrendorff will be following that. So, it’s an area we are a little bit short on, but we still look at the Indian bowlers that we have, international bowler Sam Curran,” Stephen Fleming said after the game.
He further added that given the tough conditions inn which the tournament is being played there is no other way than just finding out a way to play your best side.
It’s one of the quirks of this competition in this Covid-19 age, and we just have to find a way. It’s going to be high-scoring games in Mumbai, and toss might play a crucial role,” the 48-year-old coach asserted.
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