Stephen Fleming has stepped down as head coach of the Chennai Super Kings after the five-time Indian Premier League champions and the former New Zealand captain mutually decided to part ways.
The decision was announced by CSK on Monday, bringing to an end an association that spanned over 18 IPL seasons.
“The Super Kings and Stephen Fleming have decided to mutually part ways, bringing to a close one of the most successful and enduring partnerships in the history of the Indian Premier League,” CSK said in a statement.
“The decision was reached with respect and gratitude, following a series of open and honest discussions between Fleming and the Super Kings management.”
Stephen Fleming joined Chennai Super Kings as a player in the inaugural IPL season in 2008 under the captaincy of MS Dhoni before taking over as head coach ahead of the 2009 campaign.
Under his guidance, Chennai Super Kings established themselves as the league’s most successful franchises, winning five IPL titles and two Champions League Twenty20 trophies.
CSK claimed their first IPL title in 2010 and became the first team to successfully defend the trophy with another title in 2011. Their subsequent titles came in 2018, 2021 and 2023.
No coach has won the IPL five times, barring Fleming. His closest competitor for the title is Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene, who won the IPL thrice with the Mumbai Indians.
CSK also reached the IPL playoffs 11 times and reached nine finals during Fleming’s tenure.
“Eighteen years is a lifetime in sport, and I leave with nothing but gratitude. My time with Chennai Super Kings has been the privilege of my coaching career. I am proud of everything we have achieved,” Fleming said.
“Together, we celebrated unforgettable victories, overcame difficult moments and built memories that will stay with me forever. CSK will always be close to my heart and I will be cheering the team on for years to come.”
Since their most recent IPL title in 2023, Chennai Super Kings have failed to make the playoffs for three successive seasons and will be under new management in IPL 2027.
Fleming also coached the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant during the 2016 and 2017 IPL seasons, when CSK were serving a two-year suspension, and led the franchise to a runners-up finish in 2017.
read more: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/stephen-fleming-chennai-super-kings-csk-ipl-coach-split
