Five years ago, asking for Stephen Fleming to leave Chennai Super Kings (CSK) would have sounded ridiculous. After all, he is the most successful head coach in the IPL’s history, having led the franchise to five titles and a total of nine IPL finals (not including one when he played as a player). The culture under Fleming and the relationship with MS Dhoni have been quite inspiring to watch since the league’s inception. Fleming isn’t just a coach but has become one of the identities of the team..
Stephen Fleming under pressure from CSK fans
But IPL is a ruthless business. Sentiment lasts only until results disappear. CSK have now finished fifth, tenth and eighth in their last three seasons.
Across IPL 2024, 2025 and 2026, they have won just 17 matches while losing 25. Those numbers have naturally led to questions, as this doesn’t look like a franchise that made teams fear for the most part of the 2010s. Social media was flooded with criticism during IPL 2026, with some supporters even demanding that Fleming step aside and allow a new voice to take charge.
However, a report from Cricbuzz suggests CSK have absolutely no plans to move on from the New Zealander. We previously had a report that CSK are yet to take a call on Fleming despite some links to Rahul Dravid for the role.
According to the Cricbuzz report, Fleming is expected to continue as Chennai Super Kings head coach for IPL 2027, with his contract set to be renewed once again. The 52-year-old’s deal is renewed annually, but within the franchise there seems to be little uncertainty over his future despite another underwhelming campaign.
The decision is a bit surprising for CSK. After all, Fleming’s tactics are dubbed ‘a bit old-school’ by many fans. With the T20 game moving at an extremely fast pace, Fleming’s way of coaching may have not. Although CSK have invested heavily in young players in IPL 2026 auction, there seems to be apprehension involved.
His partnership with Ruturaj Gaikwad hasn’t worked so far. Ever since MS Dhoni has slowly tried to phase away from the team, CSK’s performances have nosedived. The auction strategies have been poor by CSK too. While they did a superb trade of Sanju Samson, splashing over INR 28 crore for two youngsters (Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer) was a huge risk.
Fleming needs to prove himself again?
While the results have been poor, CSK management believe the story isn’t quite as straightforward as the points table suggests. Injuries disrupted their plans throughout IPL 2026 and forced several changes during the season. Yet there were also positives. The Sanju Samson trade worked well, younger players started taking on bigger roles and the squad looked far more competitive than the side that finished last in IPL 2025.
The report also reinforces something that has always been true in Chennai. MS Dhoni’s opinion matters. A lot. Dhoni and Fleming have worked together since the franchise’s first season in 2008 and their relationship remains central to how CSK operate. The former captain may no longer lead the side on the field every game, but his influence within the franchise continues to be massive. CSK believe in continuity and Fleming might just have another season to pay CSK back.
CSK are expected to conduct a detailed review of their IPL 2026 campaign after the ongoing Major League Cricket season concludes. Fleming, currently coaching Texas Super Kings in the United States, will be part of those discussions. Several decisions regarding the squad and future direction of the franchise are likely to be taken.
