Chennai Super Kings has been in a fight for a new head coach since Stephen Fleming resigned and former Indian captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth is a strong voice in the debate.
Fleming’s exit ended one of the longest and most successful coaching relationships in Indian Premier League history and CSK has to find a coach who is going to carry the brand forward and also lead the team to the next stage.
The coaching battle has featured various high-profile names. Ravichandran Ashwin has already spoken about some possible options for CSK and reports and cricket discussions have also mentioned former England captain Eoin Morgan.
But Srikkanth has explicitly said he will not choose Morgan for the position. His comments have been added to the debate about who should take care of the 5-time IPL champions.
Fleming left the Super Kings after an 18-year relationship with the franchise in July. He first came to CSK as a player in the first season of the IPL in 2008 and then as head coach in 2009. The team won five IPL titles and two Champions League T20 titles and established itself as a stable team with Dhoni as the person who had made the most of the friendship with the team.
After CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs for three straight seasons, CSK decided to move on from Fleming. The recent decline has made the question of whether the franchise needs continuity or something different very much more important. Srikkanth appears to want a coach who knows the IPL system and knows about the CSK culture and can work within the established CSK culture and also bring in new ideas to the table.
It is interesting that Srikkanth also identified Rahul Dravid and Michael Hussey as potential candidates for the position and Anil Kumble as another. Srikkanth's opinion is that it may come down to Dravid or Hussey in the end, the latter being so closely connected to CSK and is already a good choice of course.
Michael Hussey’s familiarity with the franchise is a huge advantage if CSK wants to promote him. The former Australia batter has been connected with the Super Kings for many years and he knows what it’s like to be a part of the team. He has been working with players and management for a long time so he can provide continuity in coaching and the team can develop a different coaching style.
Srikkanth has also mentioned the possibility of Suresh Raina being in the support team. Instead of appointing Raina the head coach, he mentioned that the former CSK star could work as a batting coach or in another support role. That arrangement could allow CSK to retain a few of its former players in the team and have a coach that could take the most serious roles.
The debate over Brendon McCullum is another part of the larger discussion. McCullum has a lot of coaching experience, particularly in international cricket, but his name has not emerged as Srikkanth's preferred solution for CSK.
McCullum had previously coached England's Test side and was associated with the aggressive approach of the team during his time, and his style of coaching is different from the more measured style of CSK under Fleming.
Eoin Morgan, on the other hand, has decades of white-ball experience as a former England captain and 2019 World Cup-winning leader. His leadership ability is undeniable but whether it can be transferred to the role of head coach in the IPL would be interesting to see. Srikkanth's reported reluctance to consider Morgan tells us he is looking for more than a famous cricketing name when it comes to Fleming's successor.
Ashwin has also been engaged in the public debate with respect to CSK’s coaching future. After Fleming’s departure, he recommended that Dhoni would be a good choice for the role if he was willing to step in. And Dhoni’s deep knowledge of CSK and long history in the team would make him the best candidate.
However, Srikkanth has ruled out Dhoni as a head coach, suggesting that the legendary one could play a role as a mentor or senior figure within the team. That would allow Dhoni to continue to have influence in the team but not take on coaching day in and day out.
We will have the new head coach of CSK’s next coach to come with a franchise at a crucial stage in time. Fleming’s 18-year tenure provided a perfectly stable system, yet the team’s recent performance is no longer strong enough and the team’s recent performances indicate that change could be needed. It is to do so and must come with a modern approach, not just the same, but with the identity that has made CSK one of the most successful teams in the IPL.
No final appointment has been made, and the names now being considered are more likely than not, and not yet. But Srikkanth’s comments do show the differing opinions on the vacancy. CSK will choose an experienced international coach, promote someone familiar with the franchise, or opt for a completely new voice for the IPL season.
