No gas in tank, admits CSK coach Fleming

Finally, someone within the team management admitted there has been too much cricket for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Khurram Habib reports.

Finally, someone within the team management admitted there has been too much cricket for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

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After the loss on Tuesday, the Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming was asked whether Dhoni and Suresh Raina were tired and exhausted.

He agreed, saying too much cricket was the reason behind the early ouster of the defending champions from the Champions League Twenty20. "In terms of their form and what they have come up with, there is an element of fatigue. No doubt that they are playing a lot of cricket, as are a lot of other players," he said. "That (England) was a very long tour. It was hard on everyone. It drains you physically and mentally. It is a very hard tour."

The former New Zealand skipper said, "I think the pitches they have played on in the last couple of matches in England as compared to the pitches here is a big difference.

The rest of the answer has to come from them but as a coach I was happy with what they gave. Of course, they did not perform as I expected them to."