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. 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.
Legendary Australia opener and former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star Matthew Hayden suggested that the franchise needs to get a local coach.
“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. Karthik’s coaching credentials also speak volumes While the local touch is one aspect. “It’s something that I really hope that the franchise gets right. “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. What role legendary captain MS Dhoni will have with CSK is another aspect the franchise needs to consider.
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. 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.
I think it’s important to have a local coach,” Hayden said, in an interaction with Sportstar . Flemo (Fleming) did a fantastic job with MS Dhoni ; that was really such a strong engine room of CSK,” Hayden said. 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.
