In Brief
- Zaheer Khan becomes the third head coach in CSK history and the first Indian national appointed to the position.
- Stephen Fleming stepped down after 18 years as player and head coach to take over as head coach of the England men's Test team.
- MS Dhoni, along with CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and owner Rupa Gurunath, led the two-month recruitment process that finalized Khan's initial one-year contract.
Chennai Super Kings appointed 2011 World Cup winner Zaheer Khan as their head coach ahead of the IPL 2027 season, succeeding Stephen Fleming. The decision follows consecutive bottom-half finishes for CSK in the 2025 and 2026 IPL seasons, ending an era under Fleming, who guided the franchise to five IPL titles and two Champions League Twenty20 trophies between 2009 and 2026 before stepping down to manage England's Test side. Former captain MS Dhoni led the two-month search alongside team owner Rupa Gurunath and current captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, specifically prioritizing an Indian coach with deep familiarity with domestic cricket.
The agreement grants Khan full authority to select his support staff and build his backroom technical team for the 2027 campaign. Khan previously played 100 IPL matches for Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Delhi Capitals, taking 102 wickets at an economy rate of 7.59. He brings administrative and coaching experience to CSK, having previously served as Director of Cricket Operations and Global Head of Cricket Development for Mumbai Indians from 2018 to 2022, as well as mentor for the Lucknow Super Giants during the 2024 season.
