CSK advised to ‘fix MS Dhoni arrangement’ first before appointing next head coach: ‘Don’t need anyone from outside'

Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the five-time IPL champions, are preparing for a significant change in their coaching setup following the departure of Stephen Fleming , but former India batter Kris Srikkanth made it clear that two prominent names linked with the vacancy would not be his preferred choices. The former national selector Srikkanth ruled out former England captain Eoin Morgan and current England white-ball coach Brendon McCullum for the CSK job, instead throwing his support behind the franchise's existing batting coach Michael Hussey.

Fleming's exit has brought an end to one of the most successful coaching partnerships in IPL history. The former New Zealand captain spent 18 years at the helm of CSK and guided the franchise to five IPL titles before the two parties went their separate ways on mutual consent.

With CSK now looking for a successor, Morgan's name has emerged as a possibility. Former CSK and India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently discussed the situation on his YouTube channel, suggesting that the franchise was seriously considering the former England white-ball captain for the position.

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"I won't go for Eoin Morgan for sure. He was a good player and a good captain for England. But as a coach, I won't accept him as an option. Even as KKR's captain, he didn't do anything great. It'll be best if he just sticks to commentary," said Srikkanth, speaking on his YouTube channel.

In his YouTube video, Ashwin also assessed McCullum's prospects but felt the England coach was less likely to take up the role. McCullum's existing international commitments would make the appointment particularly complicated, given that England's ODI and T20I coach would have to balance the IPL role with preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

“Likewise, it'll be good for CSK if they don't appoint Brendon McCullum as the head coach. They should say no to both Morgan and McCullum,” said Srikkanth.

Instead, Srikkanth identified Michael Hussey as the candidate he would prefer to see succeed Fleming. However, Srikkanth believes the final decision could also be influenced heavily by MS Dhoni 's plans.

Dhoni's future remains an important factor in determining the direction CSK take, particularly regarding the amount of control and influence the legendary captain wants to retain within the franchise. The wicketkeeper-batter did not play a single game in the IPL 2026 season, and no one really knows what the future holds for the legendary captain.

"CSK don't need anyone from outside when they have Mr. Cricket with him. Michael Hussey should be the automatic head coach. He will be the best choice. But what will MS Dhoni's place in CSK be going forward? That arrangement has to be fixed first, and only then will everything else fall in place," Srikkanth said.

Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket.