CSK are currently without a head coach | PC- AFP
Who will replace Stephen Fleming, the longest-running IPL coach ever, at his position at the Chennai Super Kings? It has been the biggest riddle running across the Indian Premier League (IPL) circles.
The five-time champions moved on from their Kiwi head coach, with CSK's awful run since lifting the coveted trophy in 2023 under Fleming. Meanwhile, after leaving Chennai, the former New Zealand captain has joined hands with England's Test team.
With MS Dhoni almost phased out, Chennai are entering a new era, with skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson as the new poster boys for the team in yellow.
CSK's head coach to be picked by September 20; Mike Hussey the front-runner
According to top journalists, Dwaipayan Datta of The Times of India reports that Stephen Fleming's successor at CSK will be announced by September 20.
While discussing the same on Chandresh Narayanan’s YouTube Channel, the seasoned journalist made some revelations related to the five-time champions and their next head coach.
Reportedly, Mike Hussey, who has been serving as CSK’s batting coach since his appointment in 2018, is the front-runner for the job. Although the former Australian legend hasn’t served as a head coach as of yet, he has been involved with England’s Test team as well as with the Welsh Fire in The Hundred.
That said, Mr Cricket is regarded as one of the top minds present in the cricketing ecosystem. Moreover, he shares a close bond with MS Dhoni and the top show-runners at the CSK.
The journalists also discussed coaches such as Duncan Fletcher, Kepler Wessels, and Paddy Upton, whom MS Dhoni have previously worked with, but none of them is in contention.
Can Eoin Morgan snatch CSK's head coach from Mike Hussey?
Earlier, former CSK blood, Ravichandran Ashwin, hinted at the possibility of England’s World Cup-winning captain, Eoin Morgan, taking the top chair at the five-time champions.
Unlike Mike Hussey, the former Englishman does not yet have a professional coaching career, but the tactical leader is widely respected in the cricketing fraternity, especially after his wonderful job as captain with England and KKR.
During IPL 2020, Morgan replaced Dinesh Karthik mid-season as KKR’s captain, and it changed the side’s fortunes that season. Although they failed to lift the trophy that season after losing to CSK in the final, MS Dhoni came to be awed by the Englishman.
Nevertheless, names like Brendon McCullum, Hemang Badani, Kepler Wessels and Rahul Dravid are being speculated to be the next CSK head coach. Still, there is no official word on the same.
Can new head help CSK to end three-year trophy drought?
Since lifting their fifth IPL trophy in 2023, CSK have not even qualified for the playoffs. Although they are in transition in the Ruturaj Gaikwad era, it is high time for the Yellow Army to get back to their old groove.
In IPL 2024, they failed to qualify for the playoffs by a whisker when RCB edged them out at Bengaluru. Next season, Chennai had a shambolic season, to say the least, as they finished at the bottom of the table. The IPL 2026 was no good either, but they ended over MI and LSG on the that season's Points Table.
That said, a new head coach will inject freshness into the Chennai dressing room, which may result in them breaking their three-year trophy drought.
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