Stephen Fleming aims to bring CSK culture into Johannesburg Super Kings in SA20

Johannesburg Super Kings (JSK) coach Stephen Fleming wants his team to take advantage of working with a similar setup and familiar players to that of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the SA20.

Both CSK and SA20 team JSK are owned by Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited (CSKCL), and after the appointment of CSK coach Fleming, they have also roped in former CSK player Faf du Plessis as their captain. Fleming, a former New Zealand captain, said that working with people they are comfortable with in a familiar environment can develop the “culture” much quicker.

“When you get people that you feel really comfortable with, the environment and who you’re with, the culture develops a lot quicker,” Fleming said in a video on CSK’s Youtube channel.

“And once you start to get that cohesion and those connections, the longer you can stay together or the more often you can get together, we think there’s an advantage in that,” he added.

We have good model that allows people to be the best they can be: Stephen Fleming

Fleming also emphasised about the longstanding relationships that the CSK players have built over time, saying that it hurts them when they lose players. He further explained that relationships are important and the support staff have been together.

“The thread of CSK runs pretty deep,” said the former Kiwi batter. “Thankfully, through an owner and an ownership that really understands cricket and gives us the opportunity to explore these leadership styles, we’re able to have a really good model that allows people to feel comfortable and be the best they can be, achieve as much as they can in their time with us.”

JSK have also signed Moeen Ali, and other support staff members who have been associated with CSK in the past, such as Albie Morkel and Eric SImons, as assistant coaches. Although du Plessis is not a CSK player anymore, he played over 100 games for CSK in the past.