Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming had special words for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni following his 200th appearance for the franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Fleming labelled Dhoni as the ‘heartbeat’ of CSK while saying his longevity and desire to do well for the team are to be appreciated. <o:p></o:p>

Dhoni has been leading Chennai Super Kings since the inaugural edition of IPL in 2008. <o:p></o:p>

"His longevity has to be mentioned and appreciated...to play 200 games and still have a desire to do well is a testament to his attitude towards the game and franchise," Fleming said after CSK beat Punjab Kings by six wickets win in the ongoing IPL here on Friday.<o:p></o:p>

"I think the franchise has grown and MS has grown with it, so it is a great relationship and great fun," the former New Zealand skipper added.

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Terming Dhoni the heartbeat of CSK, Fleming said, "He is the heartbeat of CSK, there's no doubt about it. Whether it's performance, guidance or leadership, you run out of things to say about him."<o:p></o:p>

The former New Zealand captain was impressed by the team’s hunger to bounce back after the defeat in their IPL 2021 opener while heaping praise on Man of the Match Deepak Chahar for his figures of 4 for 13 in four overs. <o:p></o:p>

"Really impressed with the way he bounced back after the first game. Without a doubt, when Deepak gets a little bit of swing and a little bit of movement, he is one of the finest around. His ability to swing the ball is one. But his control and skill set is also very high.<o:p></o:p>

"The key is keeping him simple in his plans and just operating in and around the stumps. He is very effective when the ball swings. A great bounce back from a below-par performance in the first game."

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The CSK coach backed opener Ruturaj Gaikwad despite the batsman not being able to get going for a second straight match.<o:p></o:p>

Fleming further backed opener Ruturaj Gaikwad after the youngster endured a shaky start in the 14th edition of the tournament.<o:p></o:p>

"I am happy with the balance we have got in the team. Ruturaj (Gaikwad) is a fine player. He got a good ball in the first match and very difficult conditions today. It wasn't a 220-run wicket today. It was much different.<o:p></o:p>

"Ruturaj was a player we showed faith in last year, and his talent came through. Our philosophy when we pick players and put them in the team is to back them. This combination (Ruturaj-Faf du Plessis) is simply that," he added.<o:p></o:p>

CSK next play Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021, at the Wankhede in Mumbai on Monday.

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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming had special words for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni following his 200th appearance for the franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming had special words for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni following his 200th appearance for the franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Fleming labelled Dhoni as the ‘heartbeat’ of CSK while saying his longevity and desire to do well for the team are to be appreciated. Dhoni has been leading Chennai Super Kings since the inaugural edition of IPL in 2008. "His longevity has to be mentioned and appreciated...to play 200 games and still have a desire to do well is a testament to his attitude towards the game and franchise," Fleming said after CSK beat Punjab Kings by six wickets win in the ongoing IPL here on Friday. "I think the franchise has grown and MS has grown with it, so it is a great relationship and great fun," the former New Zealand skipper added. ALSO READ: BCCI selects 9 venues for ICC T20 World Cup 2021 in India: Reports Terming Dhoni the heartbeat of CSK, Fleming said, "He is the heartbeat of CSK, there's no doubt about it. Whether it's performance, guidance or leadership, you run out of things to say about him." The former New Zealand captain was impressed by the team’s hunger to bounce back after the defeat in their IPL 2021 opener while heaping praise on Man of the Match Deepak Chahar for his figures of 4 for 13 in four overs. "Really impressed with the way he bounced back after the first game. Without a doubt, when Deepak gets a little bit of swing and a little bit of movement, he is one of the finest around. His ability to swing the ball is one. But his control and skill set is also very high. "The key is keeping him simple in his plans and just operating in and around the stumps. He is very effective when the ball swings. A great bounce back from a below-par performance in the first game." IN PICS | From Dhoni to Kohli: Highest-paid players with mind-boggling salaries in IPL 2021 The CSK coach backed opener Ruturaj Gaikwad despite the batsman not being able to get going for a second straight match. Fleming further backed opener Ruturaj Gaikwad after the youngster endured a shaky start in the 14th edition of the tournament. "I am happy with the balance we have got in the team. Ruturaj (Gaikwad) is a fine player. He got a good ball in the first match and very difficult conditions today. It wasn't a 220-run wicket today. It was much different. "Ruturaj was a player we showed faith in last year, and his talent came through. Our philosophy when we pick players and put them in the team is to back them. This combination (Ruturaj-Faf du Plessis) is simply that," he added. CSK next play Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021, at the Wankhede in Mumbai on Monday. ×

'Heartbeat': Fleming's special praise for MS Dhoni after 200th CSK appearance in IPL

Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Monday became the first player to feature in 200 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League</a> matches after he stepped onto the field for Chennai Super Kings’ match against Rajasthan Royals at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.&nbsp;

Dhoni, who has been a regular face in IPL since its inception, has played for Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiant while breaking several records in T20 cricket. The former Indian captain has helped Chennai Super Kings win three IPL trophies while being the only captain to take CSK to the playoffs in every season they have participated in the IPL so far.&nbsp;

"It's just a number. I have been fortunate to have played so many games," said Dhoni after reaching the iconic landmark in IPL.

<h2>Most matches in IPL:&nbsp;</h2>

MS Dhoni - 200

Rohit Sharma - 197

Suresh Raina - 192

The swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batsman has also accumulated 4568 runs in IPL while winning numerous matches with the willow for the Chennai outfit. He holds a stunning average of 41.52 with a highest score of 84 not-out.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a>

Dhoni, who announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020, has achieved everything in the world of cricket and the new milestone of 200 IPL appearances looks like a cherry on top of a trophy-laden career.&nbsp;

While Chennai Super Kings have had a topsy-turvy run in IPL 2020 so far, the players could take this achievement on board and find fresh motivation to give a final push in the second half of IPL 2020 as race for the playoffs takes new turn with every single match.

Even Dhoni himself will look to get back to form with the willow as he has been going through a cold run with the bat in IPL 2020.&nbsp; 
Regarded as arguably the greatest captain of all-time, Dhoni’s fresh achievement in the world of cricket is just one of those records which the veteran has achieved in his illustrious career. 
&nbsp;

Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Monday became the first player to feature in 200 Indian Premier League matches after he stepped onto the field for Chennai Super Kings’ match against Rajasthan Royals at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Monday became the first player to feature in 200 Indian Premier League matches after he stepped onto the field for Chennai Super Kings’ match against Rajasthan Royals at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Dhoni, who has been a regular face in IPL since its inception, has played for Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiant while breaking several records in T20 cricket. The former Indian captain has helped Chennai Super Kings win three IPL trophies while being the only captain to take CSK to the playoffs in every season they have participated in the IPL so far. "It's just a number. I have been fortunate to have played so many games," said Dhoni after reaching the iconic landmark in IPL. Most matches in IPL: MS Dhoni - 200 Rohit Sharma - 197 Suresh Raina - 192 The swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batsman has also accumulated 4568 runs in IPL while winning numerous matches with the willow for the Chennai outfit. He holds a stunning average of 41.52 with a highest score of 84 not-out. IN PICS | IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament Dhoni, who announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020, has achieved everything in the world of cricket and the new milestone of 200 IPL appearances looks like a cherry on top of a trophy-laden career. While Chennai Super Kings have had a topsy-turvy run in IPL 2020 so far, the players could take this achievement on board and find fresh motivation to give a final push in the second half of IPL 2020 as race for the playoffs takes new turn with every single match. Even Dhoni himself will look to get back to form with the willow as he has been going through a cold run with the bat in IPL 2020. Regarded as arguably the greatest captain of all-time, Dhoni’s fresh achievement in the world of cricket is just one of those records which the veteran has achieved in his illustrious career.

MS Dhoni becomes first player to feature in 200 IPL matches

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'Heartbeat': Fleming's special praise for MS Dhoni after 200th CSK appearance in IPL

MS Dhoni becomes first player to feature in 200 IPL matches