MS Dhoni will seemingly play the role of an intermediatory between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, as the India board wants the Kiwi star to take up the Team India head coach role.
With the IPL season over for Dhoni – the Chennai Super Kings were eliminated from the tournament after losing their final league match to Royal Challengers Bengaluru – the BCCI is considering enlisting the legendary cricketer’s assistance in breaking the deadlock between the board and CSK head coach Stephen Fleming.
BCCI is impressed with the way Stephen Fleming has worked with CSK over the years. The former New Zealand captain, who has led CSK since 2009, is pleased with his brief tenure in several clubs owned by the franchise in various T20 competitions around the world.
Stephen Fleming hasn’t said no to India’s head coach role; BCCI wants MS Dhoni’s help
Fleming has been BCCI’s first choice to replace Rahul Dravid as India’s head coach, but the former Kiwi opener has expressed his reluctance to commit till 2027.
Fleming is also the head coach of the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, the Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket (USA), and the Johannesburg Super Kings in SA20 (South Africa). He also serves as the head coach for the Southern Brave in The Hundred. Despite being associated with four different franchises in four different leagues, Fleming gets considerable time to be with his family, mainly due to the short duration of the tournaments.
If he accepts the BCCI’s offer, he will have to travel for virtually the entire year, except for two months in the IPL.
While the discussion with them is ongoing, the board is not ready to give up on Fleming yet. Dhoni is likely to be their last throw of the dice. The BCCI’s decision-makers feel that Dhoni, more than anyone else, can persuade Fleming to accept the task.
“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.
The BCCI wants the head coach to oversee the transition phase, and Fleming is ideal for the position. Aside from being a superb tactician, Fleming is well-known for his exceptional man-management abilities.