Former India pacer Zaheer Khan joins CSK as head coach ahead of IPL 2027 season. He succeeded Stephen Fleming who served as CSK head coach from 2008 to 2016 before leaving the franchise. Under Fleming coaching tenure, CSK won five IPL titles becoming one of the most successful teams in league history.

England officially appointed Stephen Fleming as their men’s head coach on July 30, 2026. Earlier that month on July 13, he parted ways with CSK after a long coaching association with the franchise.

During his playing days, he represented three franchises Royal Challengers Bengaluru , Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals in the IPL. Zaheer played 100 IPL matches taking 102 wickets at an average of 27.27 with an economy rate of 7.58. He retired from IPL in 2017.

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He worked with Mumbai Indians as Director of Cricket Operations before becoming their head of Global Cricket Development later. Recently he was named Lucknow Super Giants mentor for IPL 2025 but stepped down before the following season.

The left arm pacer played 92 Tests, 200 ODIs and 17 T20Is during his India career. He also took 311 test wickets , 282 ODI wickets and 17 T20I wickets during his successful International career for India. Zaheer Khan played a crucial role in India’s 2011 World cup win by taking 21 wickets from 9 matches.

“Zaheer is a world class bowler and has been a mentor to many young cricketers, especially fast bowlers over the years. As a player, Zaheer was one of the key reason for India’s success in the 2000s. He’s one of the finest cricketing brains and we look forward to having him in our family,” CSK Managing Director K.S.Viswanathan said.

“We are pleased to confirm Zaheer Khan as the Head Coach of Chennai Super Kings. Zaheer’s distinguished playing career and proven ability to nurture young talent make him a valuable addition to our setup. We are confident that his guidance will help strengthen the core of this franchise,” Rupa Gurunath owner of the team said.

“It’s an honour to be a part of one of the most successful teams in the history of IPL. As a cricketer, I have faced CSK on the field and have thoroughly enjoyed the contests. The atmosphere created by the superfans at Chepauk make it even more special. I can’t wait to join the legacy franchise with such a rich history,” Zaheer Khan said.