Should MS Dhoni take over as CSK's head coach after Stephen Fleming?

After 18 seasons in charge, Stephen Fleming's tenure as the head coach of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) came to an end at the end of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL). The former New Zealand captain will go down as one of the greatest coaches in the tournament's history, leading CSK to five IPL titles and two Champions League T20 crowns. 

Fleming and MS Dhoni formed a formidable coach-captain partnership, which resulted in the franchise attaining all the success. The legendary wicketkeeper-batter has played more than 270 matches for CSK, scoring upwards of 5,000 runs. The 45-year-old was part of the squad for the 2026 season but failed to make a single appearance due to a calf injury. It is extremely possible that the right-handed batter will not turn up for the 2027 season and call time on his illustrious career. 

With Fleming no longer the coach, the ideal step up for Dhoni would be to take up Kiwi's role from next year onwards and continue his long association with CSK should he retire from his playing duties.

However, Dhoni should not be considered for a coaching role at the Super Kings, and there are several reasons why the franchise should look elsewhere for an ideal candidate to replace Fleming. 

Why should MS Dhoni stay away from a coaching gig at Chennai Super Kings?

Many might think that being a successful cricket captain would automatically translate to being a great coach. There are several examples which do not fit this narrative, including Anil Kumble, Greg Chappell and Daniel Vettori. This could happen to Dhoni as well if he becomes the CSK coach. 

As things stand, the five-time champions are in a bit of a transition phase after finishing 10th and 8th in the past two seasons. Should Dhoni become the CSK coach, it is safe to assume that all the focus and limelight would fall on him, which would ultimately be harmful for the players trying to rebuild this great franchise. 

Another reason management should not consider Dhoni as coach is due to not have previous coaching experience. CSK are one of the biggest franchises in world cricket and can easily lure a highly rated coach for the 2027 season, like Brendon McCullum or Rahul Dravid. 

It is, however, worth mentioning that Dhoni was named India's mentor ahead of the 2021 T20 World Cup held in the United Arab Emirates. The campaign, however, did not go well for the Men in Blue, who finished third in the group phase and failed to advance to the semi-finals. This included a 10-wicket defeat to arch-rivals Pakistan.