Former Indian left-arm pace bowler Zaheer Khan has been appointed as the new head coach of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for IPL 2027. Zaheer Khan is set to replace former CSK head coach and current England Test coach Stephen Fleming. Fleming ended his 18-year association with the franchise after being in charge of the franchise as head coach from 2009 to 2026. He is now the Test Head coach of England.
Zaheer Khan’s career graph as a manager and as a player
Zaheer Khan has worked in different positions in the IPL after his retirement in the year 2017. Zaheer played for three teams in the IPL, namely RCB, MI, and DC. He was first appointed MI’s Director of Cricket Operations ahead of IPL 2019, before he became their head of global development. In recent times, he was also part of the Lucknow Super Giants’ team as a mentor for IPL 2025, but he exited that franchise ahead of the next season in 2026.
As far as his playing days go, Zaheer featured in 100 IPL matches and has managed to take 102 wickets at 27.27. This adds to his illustrious Indian career, where he picked up 610 wickets across the three formats.
Zaheer Khan’s immediate reaction to his appointment
After being appointed as the CSK head coach, Zaheer Khan was quoted as saying by CSK, “It’s an honour to be a part 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 makes it even more special. I can’t wait to join the legacy franchise with such a rich history,”Â
Rupa Gurunath welcomes Zaheer Khan.Â
Owner of the team, Rupa Gurunath, welcomed Zaheer Khan into the setup by saying, “We are pleased to confirm Zaheer Khan as the Head Coach for 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,”Â
KS Viswanathan’s views on the appointment of Zaheer Khan
CSK’s Managing Director KS Viswanathan added, “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 reasons 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,”Â
Video of Zaheer Khan getting reins of CSK’s head coach
Zaheer Khan’s aim is to improve the team’s performance
Zaheer Khan has been appointed for one season only, i.e., 2027. His main aim will be to improve the team’s performance. CSK’s performances have dwindled after winning the crown in 2023. In 2024, after showing a lot of promise, they finished 5th and missed out on the playoffs spot. In 2025, they were the worst side, finishing 10th, i.e., bottom place in the standings. Last year in 2026, they finished 8th after battling loads of injuries, and CSK have plenty of work to do.
Zaheer cannot do overnight magic in a year and should not be judged. But his main aim will be to improve the bowling stocks and then the performance of the side as well. It’s easy to say they should win the title. But realistically, CSK’s aim should be to enter the playoffs next season and finish in the top 4. That should be treated as a success in Zaheer’s opening tenure. Anything above that will be a bonus.
Let’s see how Zaheer Khan fares in his first season in the IPL for CSK when 2027 comes our way in the months of March, April, and May 2027, when CSK will be raring to go under a new head coach.
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