Amidst the on-going IPL season, the BCCI have had a different headache to handle as their pursuit of a new coach to replace Rahul Dravid continues. Dravid is set to step down as the head coach of the Indian team after the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in June.
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Initially, VVS Laxman was a prime candidate but it seems to be highly unlikely that Laxman will leave his NCA job to join the Indian team. Apart from Laxman, BCCI has been trying to convince Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming, but to no avail.
Fleming has been the longest serving coach in the IPL and apart from CSK, Fleming also coaches the Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket (MLC) and the Joburg Super Kings in the SA20 and the Southern Brave in The Hundred.
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The BCCI haven’t given up yet though and will be trying to persuade Fleming to join the Indian team as the coach, and this is where former Indian and CSK captain, MS Dhoni could play a major role to shape Indian cricket once again.
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With the Chennai Super Kings knocked out of the 2024 IPL season, BCCI will be pushing to get Fleming sign the head coach contract for India even more and this where Dhoni may come in.
Dhoni has been coached in the IPL by Fleming for fifteen long years and his valuable input could serve as the deal-breaker between the BCCI and Fleming. According to reports, Fleming had expressed his disinterest to join the Indian team during the early stages of the IPL itself. But BCCI haven’t given up.
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The Hindustan Times quoted a BCCI source on the possibility of using Dhoni as their wing-man in order to persuade Flemming.
"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?" he said.
Only time can tell if Fleming will agree to serve as the head coach of the Indian team.