CSK appoint Zaheer Khan as head coach on Dhoni's recommendation
CSK turn to old friend as Fleming era ends
Chennai Super Kings have appointed former India pacer Zaheer Khan as their new head coach on a one-year contract, a move CEO Kasi Viswanathan says came at the direct suggestion of MS Dhoni — a fresh reminder of the veteran's unrivalled grip on the franchise.
The appointment closes the chapter on Stephen Fleming's long reign and reunites two Indian legends who featured together in 164 games across formats from 2004 to 2014. With Dhoni and Zaheer both cut from the same "cool" cloth, the franchise is betting on chemistry over upheaval.
"It was MS's suggestion"
Viswanathan was unequivocal about where the decision originated. "It was not an administrative decision. The cricket committee decided this. It was MS's suggestion. He spoke to captain Rutu (Ruturaj Gaikwad) and both had a discussion with owner Rupa (Gurunath) and thus the decision was arrived at," he told Cricbuzz.
Dhoni, who did not feature in a single game last season, continues to call the shots. The franchise even waited for his return from the United States — which came only recently — before finalising the coaching appointment, underlining that his word remains final on team affairs.
A familiar, low-pressure dressing room
Players at CSK describe an environment free of painstaking postmortems, lengthy debriefs or exhaustive reviews. There are no over-the-top celebrations either. The postscript to every game is a crisp two-word message from management — "Well done" or "Bad Luck". That light-touch atmosphere, the thinking goes, keeps players and staff relaxed, and Zaheer — never known as a hard taskmaster — should relish it.
Overseas candidates passed over
The Super Kings are understood to have engaged with several overseas candidates after Fleming's exit. Eoin Morgan is believed to have turned down an approach, citing comfort with his current commentary role and a desire to stick with it. Mike Hussey, the incumbent batting coach, was also in the mix and may continue in his existing position for now.
Zaheer's coaching CV
This will be Zaheer's third IPL coaching stint. His 2018–2023 spell with Mumbai Indians yielded two titles, though it was also notable for his reported advice against retaining Hardik Pandya — who then starred as Gujarat Titans captain before an eventual, costly return to MI. His brief 2025 stint as Lucknow Super Giants mentor, by contrast, was dogged by unflattering dressing-room stories.
Whether Zaheer can engineer a blockbuster Pandya trade from MI to CSK remains to be seen; Viswanathan says discussions with the new coach have not gone that far. It will, however, be among the immediate tasks for the new Dhoni-Ruturaj-Zaheer axis.
Having previously missed out on India's bowling-coach role in 2017 — when head coach Ravi Shastri chose to stick with Bharat Arun — Zaheer remains respected among younger players for his mentoring. If the partnership clicks, his one-year deal could well be extended, even if matching Fleming's longevity is a tall order.