In the new turn of events, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is pinning its hopes on legendary cricketer MS Dhoni to persuade Stephen Fleming to accept BCCI’s offer of taking over the head coach’s duties after incumbent Rahul Dravid’s tenure comes to an end in July.
With Chennai Super Kings (CSK) already out of the TATA IPL 2024, the negotiations could take place between CSK head coach Stephen Fleming and the BCCI, who are eying to rope in the former Kiwi cricketer to coach the Indian side.
Though the likes of Gautam Gambhir, Justin Langer and Mahila Jayawardene are also in the race, the BCCI is keen to have a very successful Stephen Fleming to be at the helm of the Indian team.
Fleming, who has led New Zealand in 303 matches, has been one of the most successful coaches in the IPL history, besides being the longest-serving coach of the CSK. Fleming has been at the helm of the CSK since 2009 and has led the team to five IPL titles. The Kiwi is also part of other T20 leagues around the world.
The CSK coach also looks after the Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket (USA) and the Joburg Super Kings in SA20 (South Africa). He is also the head coach of the Southern Brave in The Hundred competition.
If the reports are to be believed, Stephen Fleming has already been approached by the BCCI and communicated about the head coach’s role. Fleming, however, hasn’t responded yet. The general word is that he is reluctant to take up long-term roles due to high commitments, which won’t allow him to take easy breaks.
The former Kiwi cricketer is happy to be with the T20 franchises for a short stint and then head back home to be with his family. However, the long-term Team India contract won’t allow him to do the same. One of the biggest challenges of being Team India’s head coach is being on the road for close to a year with just a two-month break during the IPL window.
Reports indicate that Fleming has already communicated his stance to the BCCI, following which they went to look for other individuals who could take up the role. Although the talks with other potential candidates are ongoing, the BCCI isn’t in the mood to leave Fleming and has taken a final shot with MS Dhoni’s assistance.
MS Dhoni, who has closely worked with Stephen Fleming in the CSK, shares a close relationship and can be a deal breaker for the BCCI. The admiration Dhoni has around the world could influence Fleming to accept BCCI’s offer.
“Fleming hasn’t said no. He has expressed his concerns about the tenure of the contract, which is nothing unusual. Even Rahul Dravid wasn’t keen in the beginning. He was persuaded. It shouldn’t be a surprise if the same thing happens with Fleming. And who better than MS Dhoni to do the job?” a BCCI source told Hindustan Times.
“Opening channels with Dhoni during the IPL was not the right thing to do, but now it may be worth a shot,” the source added.
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