Chennai Super Giants (CSK) parted ways with their head coach across leagues, Stephen Fleming, after 18 years of association. This came after CSK failed to qualify for the play-off for the last three seasons, including a bottom-of-the-table finish.
CSK management realised that they needed some fresh ideas and guidance, and hence are now looking for a new and probably younger person to become a head coach, and today, we look at three top contenders to become the next CSK head coach.
Here are the three former cricketers who can become CSK’s new head coach:
3. Eoin Morgan
Former England captain Eoin Morgan is credited for changing the fortunes of England’s white-ball cricket post the abyss of the 2015 World Cup. He brought major changes to the England setup and took them to new heights, culminating in the 2019 World Cup win. He retired in 2022 and has since moved into media.
He doesn’t have any coaching experience as of now, but he might be the best person to bring the sweeping changes that CSK so badly requires. Morgan is a tactical genius, with a superb cricketing mind. He can bring the aggression that CSK needs to change their fortunes. MS Dhoni and Ruturaj Gaikwad had the tradition of calmness, but now CSK needs someone who can ignite that spark again that made CSK a champion team.
2. Brendon McCullum
Former New Zealand captain and current England white-ball coach Brendon McCullum had a close connection with Chennai Super Kings. He played for the Yellow Army for a long time in the Indian Premier League. He, as a coach, gave England the ‘Bazball’ way of cricket, which was ultra-aggressive.
Brendon McCullum is probably the best option for the CSK franchise as head coach, given his prior connection to the franchise. He brought freshness to the England team, and CSK needs something similar after 18 years of association with one individual.
1. Michael Hussey
The natural progression in Chennai Super Kings’ coaching role should be Michael Hussey taking over as head coach. He played for the Chennai Super Kings for a long time and has then been the team’s batting coach. He has seen how the franchise, its officials and management work and can adjust to the head coach role in no time.
Hussey knows the new crop of CSK players well and follows the modern way of IPL thinking. CSK have been guilty of playing old-format T20 cricket, and Hussey will enable the new-age batters to play the modern T20 game easily.
