Can Rahul Dravid replace Stephen Fleming as CSK coach in IPL 2027? MS Dhoni could be biggest hurdle after 3 playoff misses

KEY TAKEAWAYS: CSK's third straight playoff miss has put Fleming's coaching future under scrutiny. Rahul Dravid is being considered a strong candidate to replace Fleming at CSK. MS Dhoni's uncertain future is another complicated matter to be sorted out.

Could Rahul Dravid be the man to replace Stephen Fleming at CSK in IPL 2027? Few partnerships in franchise cricket have been as enduring or as successful as the one between the Chennai Super Kings and Stephen Fleming. The former New Zealand captain walked into the CSK setup at its very beginning in 2008, first as a player, then sliding into the head coach role in 2009.

Over the years that followed, he helped build one of the most formidable outfits in IPL history. He guided the side to five league titles and two Champions League crowns. MORE: Ravichandran Ashwin blasts CSK squad selection and suggests to 'invest in quality' after dismal IPL 2026 performance But success has a short memory in professional sport, and three consecutive playoff failures since their last title in 2023 have cast a long shadow over everything that came before.

Following CSK's defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad in their final home game of the season, questions about Fleming's position grew louder. "Well, it's always a choice for the management. There's been a lot of talk about it.