India's conundrum in the middle order has been a nagging pain for the side over the last 15 months and this IPL could well throw up names as a solution for the World Cup. One of the contenders for the position is MS Dhoni, and CSK coach Stephen Fleming has revealed that the seasoned campaigner will bat at number 4 in a majority of the matches, but can also be used a floater depending on the situation of the game.
"Dhoni batted pretty much (at) No. 4 last year but we do use him in a little bit of a flexible role, so that won't change," Fleming said at the media conference organised by IPL champions CSK.
"His (Dhoni's) form has been outstanding in the past 10 months. We have a new player as well (Kedar Jadhav) which is great. So, we're really happy with the (batting) order and the thoughts around that," he added.
RCB captain Virat Kohli in focus
Ahead of the season, plenty has been said about the position and captaincy of Virat Kohli, the RCB skipper. As far as his batting is concerned, there is little doubt over his prowess. Former South African all-rounder and currently the coach of KKR, Jacques Kallis believes that Kohli keeps things simple and this is his biggest asset.
So will Kohli break Tendulkar's record, Kallis replied: "Only Kohli can answer that. If he is fit enough and willing enough to go but nothing is out of reach for him."
"Kohli I believe can go as far as he wants to. He is a world class player. He is hungry. He works hard. He has proved that over the years. The main thing about him is that he keeps it simple. People enjoy watching him bat," the coach added.
Sunrisers Hyderabad quietly confident
The side has received a big shot in the arm with the inclusion of David Warner. The Australian, who has been barred to take up any leadership roles with his national side, remains one the leaders for his franchise. SRH mentor VVS Laxman believes that Warner's leadership is exemplary.
"There is a big difference because he (Warner) is a world class player. For us, as a franchise, we are so proud of what he has achieved for Sunrisers. He is not only a premier match-winner but his leadership skills are also unmatched," Laxman said at a press conference.
Rajasthan Royals welcome their marquee players
Rajasthan Royals' star players Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler have joined the camp ahead of the season. Buttler whose promotion to open the innings was a masterstroke, finished IPL 2018 as the sixth highest scorer with 548 runs. Stokes, however, was not able to leave an impression and would be keen to make amends this season.
