CSK CEO Optimistic About MS Dhoni Playing in IPL 2025

According to Kasi Viswanathan, he does not believe Stephen Fleming would be interested in taking up the position as head coach for India.

CEO of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Kasi Viswanathan responded to the query on the CSK YouTube channel with, “I don’t know.” “MS is the only one who can respond to that question. The issue is that we have always accepted MS’s judgments and have left them to him.

“As you are all aware, he has always made his decisions and made them known when it was right. We certainly anticipate hearing from him as soon as he makes a decision. However, we sincerely hope that he will be able to participate in CSK the next year. That’s what I think and what the people demand.”

Broadcasters have posed this topic to Dhoni explicitly and numerous times over the past few years. Nonetheless, Dhoni, at 42, completed the tournament without speaking with the media thanks to his discreet transfer of the CSK captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad prior to this IPL.

Dhoni will be 43 by the time the next season rolls around, thus CSK will need to make some fresh arrangements before a major auction. According to Viswanathan, Dhoni will be there if he wants to be. This season, he struck 161 runs in 73 balls with a strike rate of 220.55, which is second only to Jake Fraser-McGurk (minimum 25 balls). He was also kept in good form.

Also Read: CSK Wins 2023 IPL Final to Crown Joint 5 Times Champions

Regarding Stephen Fleming, the longtime coach of CSK who has lately been connected to a potential position as head coach of India, Viswanathan stated he doesn’t think Fleming is switching positions just yet.

“Have you applied for the Indian coaching assignment?’ I questioned Stephen in jest. Viswanathan recalled, “Stephen simply laughed and asked, ‘Do you want me to?'” He doesn’t like to be involved [in coaching] for nine to ten months out of the year, so I know this won’t be his cup of tea. That’s how I feel. I haven’t talked about him any more.

When questioned about CSK’s retention strategies for the significant squad overhaul anticipated prior to IPL 2025, Viswanathan stated that the topic would only be covered once the teams had received clarification from BCCI.

“It is too early because we have still not heard from BCCI on the kind of retentions which are going to be part of the next cycle of auction,” he stated. “So we are expecting that the BCCI would discuss with all franchise owners before they take a decision on retention.”

CSK, the five-time IPL champions, finished fifth this year and missed the playoffs for just the third time—the other two occurrences occurring in 2020 and 2022. They recovered from each of those setbacks to win the championship the following year.