As the T20 World Cup 2024 approaches and Rahul Dravid’s tenure as head coach of the Indian cricket team comes to an end, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is keen to secure their preferred candidate, Stephen Fleming, for the coveted head coach position. To achieve this, they have turned to MS Dhoni, hoping his influence can persuade Fleming to take on the role.

Stephen Fleming shows hesitation about committing to a long-term contract

Stephen Fleming, a highly successful coach of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), has expressed hesitation about committing to a long-term contract due to his current coaching commitments and family obligations. Fleming’s impressive coaching resume includes leading the Texas Super Kings (USA), Joburg Super Kings (South Africa), and the Southern Brave (England). These roles, with their shorter seasons, allow him more time with his family, contrasting sharply with the year-round commitment required for the head coach position of Team India.

 “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.

BCCI banks on Dhoni-Fleming relationship to secure coaching role

The BCCI believes that MS Dhoni’s close relationship with Fleming, forged over years of collaboration at CSK and the Rising Pune Supergiant, could be instrumental in convincing him to accept the head coach role. Dhoni’s influence, they hope, will sway Fleming’s decision.

“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.

With senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli nearing the end of their illustrious careers, the Indian cricket team is on the brink of a significant transition. The BCCI sees Fleming’s extensive experience, tactical acumen, and exceptional man-management skills as vital assets in navigating this crucial phase.

See Also: 3 overseas players who did not get a single match in IPL 2024 league stage

As the T20 World Cup 2024 looms on the horizon, cricket fans eagerly anticipate whether Dhoni can leverage his rapport with Fleming to bring him on board, guiding India through this pivotal period in their cricketing journey.

Chennai Super Lords lead trainer Stephen Fleming said skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is nursing a knee injury

Fleming’s comments came after the four-time IPL champion Chennai Super Kings were defeated by Rajasthan Royals by three runs in a last-ball thriller at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium.

During the match against the Rajasthan Royals, CSK’s South African pace bowler Sisanda Magala also sustained a split webbing, adding to the injury concerns

“He (Dhoni) is nursing a knee injury, which you can see in some of his movements, hindering him somewhat. His fitness has been professional. He comes in months before the tournament starts. He does some nets in Ranchi, but his main pre-season is a month before he comes to Chennai,”

Fleming said.

The Royals prevailed after a grueling battle thanks to Seamer Sandeep Sharma’s flawless block-hole pitches.

Pursuing 176, Dhoni (32) and Ravindra Jadeja (25) were on course, requiring 21 runs off the last over. Dhoni couldn’t win his 200th game for CSK on home soil in the manner he would have liked, so the final score for CSK was 172/6.

However, Fleming expressed optimism that the former India captain will successfully manage his injury and continue to lead the team.

“He works his way back into match form, and you can still see he is playing pretty well. So we always have confidence about how he manages himself. He always keeps himself up to speed,”

said Fleming, allaying concerns about Dhoni’s fitness.

On Magala, who had to leave the field with a split webbing after bowling two overs, 

“For us again, it’s losing another player that games in a row — and we’re already pretty thin, so we’d like it (injuries) to stop.”

Fleming said.

With England all-rounder Ben Stokes, who was purchased for Rs 16.25 crore at the IPL auction, missing the game because of a heel injury, and pacer Deepak Chahar, who was almost ruled out of the IPL 2023 because of a hamstring injury he sustained during the match against Mumbai Indians, CSK’s list of injured players growing by the day.

“Magala’s hand was split unfortunately, so he was unable to bowl those last two overs. And same with Deepak Chahar in the last game, so we’re operating on pretty thin resources. But we’re not the only team to have that. I think a lot of players coming out of a big domestic season are a little bit broken, but we just keep having to find solutions,”

Fleming said.

Therefore, we will carry it out within the next four days. Be that as it may, no doubt, it’s not great yet. If bowlers continue to sustain injuries, the captain must then think on his feet. Moeen Ali returned after Magala injured his webbing, had a bad day, and took the wicket of Jos Buttler, which was good.

Additionally, you have young players like Akash (Singh), who will be playing his first game and will be required to bowl some crucial overs. It’s not the way that we plan, however T20 seldom goes to design,” the CSK mentor added

Fleming said that Sri Lar acer Matheesha Pathirana, who had tested positive for Coronavirus in New Zealand, had recuperated and was accessible for choice at this point.

“Chahar is out for a few weeks. Magala is out for two weeks. Stokes is being monitored on a day-to-day basis. Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana tested positive for Covid-19 in NZ and has recovered and is available for selection now. We did not want to rush him back for this game.”

Fleming was also critical about the fielding. 

“Extras, sloppy in the field with some catches going down, and little things on the day are going to matter as the competition is getting tighter and little things like these will determine results. We lost momentum in the middle, and their spinners bowled well. Some good hitting at the end got us close.”

Dhoni also mentioned that his bowlers gave away too many runs in wides and no-balls earlier.

“We came up against a team that matched well, and it was a pretty good contest. Three-run defeat was a fair reflection,”

added Fleming.

On April 17, CSK will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru.