The IPL may be in its off-season, but Chennai Super Kings continue to make headlines almost every other day. This week was no different.
Things kicked off with fresh developments in the search for Stephen Fleming’s replacement, with several names emerging as potential candidates. Then came a rare sighting of MS Dhoni in Chennai, with the former captain reportedly attending the franchise’s fitness camp.
Meanwhile, the Hardik Pandya trade rumours continued to gather attention, even as fresh reports poured cold water on a potential move.
From the head coach search to Dhoni and Hardik, here’s everything that made headlines in CSK news this week.
CSK Head Coach Search Continues
Ever since Stephen Fleming stepped down in July, CSK have been searching for a new head coach. For former players and pundits, this has also become an opportunity to suggest names who could replace the Kiwi.
The latest additions to that conversation are former England captain Eoin Morgan and current England white-ball coach Brendon McCullum.
Ravichandran Ashwin, who has remained vocal about developments surrounding CSK, recently touted Morgan as a potential candidate. He claimed that the World Cup-winning captain’s name was “doing the rounds strongly” for the vacant position.
However, there has been no confirmation from CSK that Morgan is an official candidate.
What appears more likely is that Chennai could once again turn towards an overseas coach. CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has indicated that the franchise is likely to appoint an overseas expert, with the management expected to finalise its decision after considering the available candidates.
McCullum’s name has also featured in recent reports, making the CSK head coach search one of the biggest stories to follow ahead of IPL 2027.
MS Dhoni Spotted in Chennai
After missing the entire IPL 2026 season, MS Dhoni was spotted in Chennai last week. Naturally, his return raised questions about what had brought him back to the city.
Dhoni has not played for CSK since being ruled out of last season due to injury, leading to plenty of speculation over whether he will return for another IPL campaign.
However, his appearance at CSK’s fitness camp suggests he remains involved with the franchise. The camp was reportedly organised to assess players before Chennai make their retention and release decisions ahead of IPL 2027.
While Dhoni’s fitness assessment has not been made public, his presence will inevitably raise hopes of another IPL comeback.
His visit also comes at an interesting time, with CSK currently searching for Stephen Fleming’s replacement. CEO Kasi Viswanathan has indicated that Dhoni will be involved in the process of selecting the franchise’s next head coach.
Michael Hussey’s CSK Future Remains Uncertain
Another name to keep an eye on is Michael Hussey. The CSK batting coach was initially seen as one of the most natural candidates to replace Stephen Fleming, given his long association with the franchise.
However, his own future at Chennai has now become a talking point. Fleming reportedly wants Hussey to join his England Test coaching setup, which could potentially take another familiar face away from CSK. Hussey has also publicly praised Fleming following his England appointment, although there is no confirmation that he plans to leave Chennai.
For now, his future remains uncertain. But with CSK searching for a new head coach and Fleming reportedly interested in taking Hussey with him, the coming weeks could bring further changes to Chennai’s coaching staff.
A Crucial Few Weeks Await CSK
From finding Fleming’s successor to deciding Dhoni’s future and dealing with trade rumours, CSK have several major decisions ahead. What happens over the next few weeks could shape not only their IPL 2027 squad, but also the beginning of a completely new era in Chennai.
