New Delhi .Chennai Super Kings has made a major change in its coaching team before IPL 2027 and appointed former Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan as the new head coach. Zaheer will now take over the responsibility in place of Stephen Fleming, who has been with the team for a long time. With this appointment a new era will begin for CSK.
Fleming had an 18-year association with Chennai Super Kings. He joined the team as a player in 2008 and took over the role of head coach in 2009. During his tenure, CSK won the IPL title five times and the Champions League T20 title twice.
However, the team could not reach the playoffs in the last three IPL seasons. After this the long association between Fleming and the franchise ended. Now Zaheer Khan has been given the command of the team in his place.
Zaheer has vast experience in international cricket and IPL. In his 14-year international career for India, he played 92 Tests, 200 ODIs and 17 T20 international matches. He was also a part of India's World Cup-winning team in 2011 and was the joint-highest wicket-taker in that tournament with 21 wickets.
Zaheer played 100 matches in IPL and took 102 wickets. After finishing his career as a player he worked in coaching and cricket management roles. He was associated with the cricket operations of Mumbai Indians and later also played the role of mentor of Lucknow Super Giants.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's role in the appointment of Zaheer in CSK has also come to light. According to the team management, Dhoni had suggested Zaheer's name during the search for Fleming's successor. After this the team management talked to Zaheer and prepared him for the responsibility of head coach.
Dhoni and Zaheer also have a long association with Indian cricket. Both were part of the Indian team that won the 2011 World Cup. Now both will work with the same franchise in IPL. Dhoni is currently available with the team as a player.
Zaheer has also been given the responsibility of choosing his support staff team in CSK. The team management will take further decisions regarding the colleagues working with them. His immediate task will be to organize the preparations for IPL 2027 and work on the current combination of the team.
Preparation for the next season is also important for CSK because the team has failed to make it to the playoffs three times in a row. In such a situation, Zaheer's experience will be used in the development of bowlers and young players as well as in preparing the team's strategy.
Zaheer Khan has described his new responsibility as an honour. He has expressed his excitement about working with the franchise, citing CSK's fans and the team's legacy. Now in IPL 2027, all eyes will be on the new look of CSK under the coaching of Zaheer.