Stephen Fleming, the head coach of the Chennai Super Kings and a former captain of New Zealand, is being considered by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as a possible replacement for Rahul Dravid. Fleming would have to spend ten months a year with the squad, therefore it’s unclear if he will apply for the position given the BCCI’s requirement that the incoming head coach oversee all three forms.
After the T20 World Cup, the BCCI formally started the process of selecting a new head coach for the Indian men’s team on Monday. Fleming, the CSK head coach since 2009, is thought to be a good fit to succeed Dravid, according to well-placed insiders in the board. In the next years, India is probably going to go through a time of change in all forms of cricket, and Fleming’s man-management abilities, capacity to bring out the best in players by fostering a positive environment, and remarkable success record at CSK are expected to be major draws.
As far as The Indian Express is aware, there have already been casual conversations during the IPL. As of right now, the 51-year-old hasn’t expressed any desire to leave the CSK organization; instead, they would like him to stay longer.
Ever since taking over as CSK’s head coach in 2009, Fleming has traveled the world coaching T20 cricket. For four years, he was the Melbourne Stars’ Big Bash coach. In addition to the team located in Chennai, he also serves as the head coach of the sister teams of CSK, the Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket and the Johannesburg Super Kings in the SA20. In The Hundred, he leads Southern Brave as their head coach as well. The former Kiwi captain will probably have a full July schedule because MLC and The Hundred will be held back-to-back for a week.
It should not be shocking that Fleming is under investigation by the BCCI. There is a great deal of internal respect for Fleming, who plays a key role in CSK’s success story. In addition to being a brilliant captain when he was a player, Fleming has demonstrated in the IPL the value of consistency for a team. With five league crowns and two Champions League medals under his belt, he is the league’s longest-serving coach. He has also been able to bring out the best in players; Shivam Dube is one example of this. Fleming is well-known for his leadership program, which has benefited many Indian domestic players, in addition to his instruction in fundamental skill sets.
It is acknowledged that older players in India would also want to have a coach with such a background and depth of technical understanding since it would benefit the younger players who would likely make up the team’s nucleus for the next three years.
It will be fascinating to watch where the BCCI goes if it is unable to entice Fleming. Even though South Africa, Pakistan, and England divide their coaching responsibilities between red-ball and white-ball cricket, the BCCI is still unwilling to adopt a similar strategy since India does not have two distinct player groups for limited-overs and Test matches.
The Indian Express is aware that, in addition to Fleming, several foreign coaches working with IPL clubs are hesitant to accept positions in India because the work entails traveling for ten months of the year. Even former India skipper Virat Kohli has occasionally been given time off, missing several white-ball matches.
Dravid’s contract expires after the T20 World Cup next month; he was granted a six-month extension following the 50-over World Cup in October-November. The previous captain of India may choose to reapply for the position.
Important factors – BCCI
- The Coach will be in charge of building a world-class cricket team that achieves consistent success in all weather conditions and game formats, motivating present and next generations of players and spectators with their style of play.
- In all three game forms, the Head Coach will be ultimately in charge of the management and performance of the India Men’s squad.
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