Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are yet to decide on a new head coach for IPL 2027. Stephen Fleming departed after 18 years at the helm, but the five-time IPL winners haven’t pinpointed a successor. The likes of Eoin Morgan and Michael Hussey have been in the rumour mill as possible candidates to take over. However, legendary Australia and former CSK opener Matthew Hayden named current Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) mentor Dinesh Karthik as the ideal person to inherit the CSK head coach role.
Hayden emphasized that Karthik’s local attachment to Chennai is one of the reasons why he is the perfect candidate. Karthik was born in Chennai and played his domestic cricket for Tamil Nadu.
“There are names that have been mentioned; one of them was Dinesh Karthik, who I think is probably ready to take on that kind of role. I think it’s important to have a local coach,” Hayden said, in an interaction with Sportstar.
“I know that a lot of franchises do go for international coaches, but I feel like the head coach role of a franchise as big as CSK should have that kind of local touch, even Chennai touch, which is why I thought Dinesh would be perfect,” he added.
While the local touch is one aspect, Karthik’s coaching credentials also speak volumes. Over the last three years, Karthik has been in the support staff of an RCB team that has dominated the IPL, winning both the 2025 and 2026 editions back-to-back.
Hayden, who won the IPL Orange Cap in 2009, stated that it is imperative for the franchise to get the appointment right.
“It’s something that I really hope that the franchise gets right. Flemo (Fleming) did a fantastic job with MS Dhoni; that was really such a strong engine room of CSK,” Hayden said.
“You can certainly have support staff that aren’t local, but what a shift… (It was) such a beautiful campaign that MS and Flemm had. So much success, equal title holds with Mumbai (Indians), just such a good legacy, but it’s a bold and good move, and I’m looking forward to seeing who gets the job,” he further said.
What role legendary captain MS Dhoni will have with CSK is another aspect the franchise needs to consider. Dhoni did not play a single game for CSK in IPL 2026, and his input could play a major role in who becomes their next head coach.
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