5 Former cricketers who can replace Stephen Fleming as CSK head coach

After concluding one of the oldest and most fruitful coaching relationships in Indian Premier League history, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are about to start a new chapter.   After joining the team as a player in 2008, Stephen Fleming became head coach in 2009 and helped CSK win five IPL titles over his eighteen-year tenure.

Now that the head coach post is open, attention is turning to potential candidates for one of the most prominent positions in franchise cricket. We examine five candidates who could succeed the New Zealander and possibly usher in a new era of trophies for CSK.

Here are the 5 former cricketers who can replace Stephen Fleming as CSK head coach:

5. Ravichandran Ashwin

R Ashwin is one of the sharpest minds in cricket during his playing days. He began his IPL career with Chennai Super Kings and won the IPL in 2010 and 2011 with the franchise. He returned to the franchise in IPL 2025 to end his career as well. Now he has transitioned into mentor-captain roles after retirement from international and IPL cricket.

Ashwin might be a left-field choice for the CSK head coach role, but he is a local from Tamil Nadu and has captained an IPL franchise before. Ashwin might be a great long-term option given his contemporary style of play, tactical expertise, and close relationship with CSK.

4. Brendon McCullum

Free from his burden of coaching the England team across the formats, ex-New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum has the time to return to the Indian Premier League in the head coach position for the Chennai Super Kings.

He spent a good chunk of his IPL career for the franchise before his retirement and has fond memories of his time. He showed brilliance in coaching for Kolkata Knight Riders, and his aggressive ways might break shackles for CSK in the IPL and change their rigid approach that has hampered them for the last three seasons.

3. Ravi Shastri

Former India cricketer, captain, and head coach Ravi Shastri has been out of coaching roles since his tenure with the Indian team ended in 2021. Resuming his role in the media box, Ravi Shastri might just be the kind of coach CSK needs at the moment.

He knows how to handle the tantrums of big-name players and has the clout to overcome the shadow of MS Dhoni in the CSK setup. Shastri might look laid back, but given the success India had in his time, CSK might want to give the inventor of the ‘tracer bullet’ a shot at coaching the yellow army.

2. Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid had a successful stint with the Indian team as head coach, winning the 2024 T20 World Cup, and also returned to coach the Rajasthan Royals for one season. He understands the modern ways of cricket, and despite being a defensive batter in his playing days, he has shown aggression in his motivation.

Rahul Dravid might be the brain that CSK wants in their camp now, as he can guide the youngsters on the right path towards the future. He can also work well with MS Dhoni in the CSK setup, as Dhoni respects him being junior to him.

1. Hemang Badani

Reports from Times of India and other news outlets stated that former India cricketer and Tamil Nadu batter Hemang Badani was the front-runner to replace Stephen Fleming as Chennai Super Kings’ head coach. With the Delhi Capitals and a number of franchise cricket clubs worldwide, Badani has acquired invaluable coaching expertise.

He is well regarded for discovering and developing young Indian talent, a characteristic that could assist CSK in building their squad for the future. His experience in modern franchise cricket also makes him an attractive option. However, his understanding of grassroots Indian cricket might help him bring a fresh outlook to the CSK camp in the post-Fleming era.