Dinesh Karthik would be a really good choice for CSK, says Matthew Hayden

Chennai Super Kings are searching for a new head coach after Stephen Fleming departed to take up the England head coach position earlier this year. The five-time IPL champions, who won titles in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023 under Fleming’s 18-year tenure, face the task of identifying a successor to lead the franchise forward.

Matthew Hayden, the former Australia opener who played 32 matches for CSK and helped them win the 2010 IPL title, has publicly backed Dinesh Karthik as a strong candidate for the role. Hayden believes Karthik possesses the ideal combination of qualities needed to succeed Fleming.

“Well, I feel like Dinesh Karthik would be a really good choice for CSK. He has been kind of under the tutelage of other world-class coaches, including names like Andy Flower, for example, who have had very successful playing and coaching careers. But being a local Tamil boy, I feel like that is a really important piece,” Hayden said on the Wisden Cricket podcast.

Why Hayden backs Karthik for the CSK role?

Karthik, who hails from Chennai, retired from international cricket in 2024 and has since moved into coaching. He joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru as batting coach and mentor ahead of the IPL 2025 season, working alongside Andy Flower. His growing involvement in coaching roles demonstrates his transition into the sport’s technical side.

“It’s not a must have, but for Tamil Nadu cricket in particular, I just felt like CSK has always been backed by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association. So I feel like some local flavour would be the next best step for CSK,” Hayden said.

“CSK notoriously picks from afar. You know, they drive over fish to get to fish. There have been very few players that have actually come from Tamil Nadu itself. They play everywhere else. The one thing I’ll say is it’s very difficult to be a foreign coach in the IPL as well. I give great credit to those that do it because there are some natural language barriers, especially not so much the seasoned campaigners and veterans of Indian cricket, but which sides are littered with,” Hayden said.

CSK are entering a period of transition following a disappointing IPL 2025 campaign. The five-time champions, who last lifted the title in 2023, endured a difficult season and finished eighth in the points table, missing out on the playoffs.

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s side struggled throughout the campaign, while MS Dhoni did not feature in a single match. With CSK now looking to rebuild and chart a new course, finding Stephen Fleming’s successor will be one of the franchise’s key priorities ahead of the next season.