Overview
- CSK and long-serving head coach Stephen Fleming mutually agreed to part ways in mid-July after an 18-year partnership that included five IPL titles and two Champions League T20 trophies.
- Public discussion since the split has named MS Dhoni, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid as the top options for the job, with former players publicly backing each candidate.
- Commentators say Dhoni’s continued influence in the dressing room and his absence from all matches in IPL 2026 because of injury make the franchise’s choice unusually complex.
- There are unconfirmed reports linking Fleming to the Delhi Capitals but those moves remain speculative and have not been confirmed by either franchise.
- The new coach’s mandate will shape CSK’s strategy for player retention, recruitment and preparation ahead of the IPL 2027 season and the upcoming mega-auction.