'We haven't been playing good cricket consistently. We definitely acknowledge that, put our hands up, and say that that is the fact at the moment.'
Batting coach Michael Hussey has assured that the "hurting" Chennai Super Kings are not yet willing to "put up the white flag” after falling to their fifth consecutive defeat in the ongoing Indian Premier League, their first of the first in the cash-rich league's history.
Chennai Super Kings, one of the most successful franchises in the tournament's history, are on the verge of hitting rock bottom after surrendering to a comprehensive defeat against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday.
With Ruturaj Gaikwad ruled out of the season, Mahendra Singh Dhoni returned to captain Chennai for the first time since 2023, looking to change his beloved side's first of worst as CSK continue to walk on thin ice
Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane led his troops well to bring down Chennai's long-standing fortress, Chepauk. The flamboyant wave of yellow was reduced to silence after a shambolic batting display.
The jaded Super Kings tried to force a comeback, but with lightning-quick speed Knight Riders gunned down the trifling 104-run target in just 10.1 overs to trounce the hosts by eight wickets.
Just a spot up from the bottom, courtesy the sole story of success in their six encounters, CSK's qualification hopes for the play-offs are fading away.
However, Hussey and Chennai are not willing to go down without putting up a fight.
"Well, this one hurts a lot. I mean, it really does. The players are hurting, and the support staff are hurting. And, as I said earlier, the fans, I'm sure, are hurting with this one as well. This is a time where you really find out who are your true supporters.
“We're certainly not putting the white flag up just yet. You only have to get in to scrape into that fourth (and final play-offs) place," declared Hussey, at the post-match press conference.
"In a big, long tournament like the IPL, it is about momentum. Now, certainly, the momentum is not with us at the moment whatsoever. We haven't been playing good cricket consistently. We definitely acknowledge that, put our hands up, and say that that is the fact at the moment. But that's not to say things can't turn around and can't turn around quickly," he added.
Before Friday's night's gloomy affair, Chennai had never lost three successive home games at Chepauk. With CSK's think tank intensively hunting for a way to find their lost mojo, Hussey has entrusted his faith in the experienced leadership hierarchy to navigate the franchise through the turbulent phase.
"I just know Stephen Fleming. Obviously, he is a great coach. He will, really, and MS Dhoni... he's been a great captain for a long time as well. Ruturaj (Gaikwad) is still going to be around the team," he said.
"I think they'll really try and bring this team as tight and as close together. They will make sure there's no fractures, make sure we're still sticking tight because I'm sure we're going to cop plenty of criticism from the outside and look, we deserve it.
"We haven't performed as well as we would have liked so far in the tournament. But, from an inside, internal side of things, we've got to stick really tight."
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