The all-rounder wasn’t pick for the opening game against MI due to a knee injury

Stephen Fleming, the head coach of Chennai Super Kings, on Saturday (September 19) said that Dwayne Bravo is likely to be unavailable for their second game too after missing out the opener due to a knee injury.

Bravo, who came to the United Arab Emirates on the back of an unbeaten title-winning run with the Trinbago Knight Riders in the recently-concluded Caribbean Premier League, wasn’t picked for CSK’s opening game against Mumbai Indians on Saturday. Even though he was part of the side that played the final less than a week ago, he couldn’t bowl in that match.

Sam Curran, who played the seam bowling all-rounder’s role, returned with a Player of the Match performance (1 for 28 and 6-ball 18) for the side.

“Dwayne was injured so he is probably out for the first two games,” Fleming said at the end of the IPL 2020 opener. “But Sam’s performance was a big positive. His attitude is quite infectious. His performance today was quite outstanding. Straight off the plane yesterday.

“If Dwayne was fit, it would have been a toss-up if he [Curran] had played at all. So he has taken this opportunity and put some pressure on.”

CSK won their opening encounter by five wickets with four balls to spare, courtesy useful contributions also by Ambati Rayudu (48-ball 71), Faf du Plessis 44-ball 58*) and Piyush Chawla.

Even as Bravo’s later in the tournament return could mean a toss up between the two all-rounder’s for a spot in the XI, Fleming hasn’t ruled out the possibility of playing both of them together.