CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan opens up about Fleming's possible stint as head coach with India
May 23, 2024
New Delhi [India], May 23 : Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan revealed that he had a conversation with franchise head coach Stephen Fleming about a possible stint with the Indian team.
Rahul Dravid's tenure as the head coach is about to conclude the conclusion of the T20 World Cup.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on June 13 invited applications for the position and the deadline has been set to May 27.
Recently reports started to surface all over social media about CSK's long-serving coach emerging as a possible candidate for the position of India's head coach.
Viswanathan revealed that he had a conversation with Fleming about the possible stint. He feels that Fleming won't like to get involved in a coaching set-up that lasts for nine to ten months.
"I jokingly asked Stephen, 'have you applied to the Indian coaching assignment? Stephen just laughed and said: 'Do you want me to?'. I know that it's not going to be his cup of tea because he doesn't like to be involved [in coaching] for nine-ten months in a year. That's my feeling. I have not discussed anything more on him," Viswanathan said on CSK's YouTube channel.
He was also quizzed about CSK's retention plans for the major squad shake-up expected to take place before IPL 2025.
Viswanathan stated the CSK would discuss it after they get clarity from BCCI' regarding the retention of players.
"It is too early because we have still not heard from BCCI on the kind of retentions that are going to be part of the next cycle of auction. So we are expecting that the BCCI would discuss with all franchise owners before they take a decision on retention," he said.
CSK's IPL title defense has already ended after they lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their final game of the group stage last week.
Under the newly formed leadership of Ruturaj Gaikwad, CSK won seven games and lost the same amount.
The five-time champions ended the season in the fifth spot with 14 points and a net run rate of 0392.
