Chennai Super Kings have a new man in charge. Former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan has been appointed as the head coach of CSK ahead of the IPL 2027 season. The announcement was made on September 21,2026 bringing an end to the long association between CSK and Stephen Fleming. Fleming had been with franchise for 18years.

Zaheer Khan joins the Csk Camp

For Zaheer Khan, this is a major new chapter. The former left arm pacer has previously worked with IPL franchises in different roles, including ad director of cricket at Mumbai Indians and as a mentor with Lucknow Super Giants.However, the CSK job will be his first head-coaching role. His experience with young cricketers, especially fast bowlers, is one of the things CSK highlighted while announcing his appointment.

What happened to Stephen Fleming?

Stephen Fleming is a former New Zealand cricketer and captain who later became one of the most recognised coaches in the IPL. He had a long association with Chennai Super Kings and worked closely with MS Dhoni during his time as the team's head coach.
Fleming joined CSK as a player in the early IPL years and later took over as head coach. Under his coaching, CSK became one of the most successful teams in the tournament, winning multiple IPL titles. After his long CSK stint, Fleming moved on to a new chapter in his coaching career and was appointed as England men's Test head coach in 2026.

MS Dhoni and Zaheer Khan: An Old Cricket Connection

Zaheer and MS Dhoni already share a long history in Indian cricket. Both were part of India's 2011 World Cup-winning team. Reports say Dhoni played a key role in CSK's decision to bring Zaheer into the coaching setup. Indian Express reported that Zaheer was given a one-year contract, with the possibility of an extension. That makes the IPL 2027 season particularly interesting, as Zaheer will now work alongside Dhoni in a completely different role.

Zaheer Khan's Cricket Record

Zaheer was one of India's leading fast bowlers for more than a decade. He played 92 Tests,200 ODIs,17T20s for India. In the IPL, Zaheer played 100 matches and picked up 102 wickets, representing teams including Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capitals.

A New Era for CSK

As Fleming Gone and Zaheer is coming, it’s a new era for CSK. For Zaheer, meanwhile, this is his biggest coaching assignment so far. The former World Cup winner now gets the chance to build his own chapter with one of the most recognised franchises in the IPL.