Ashish Nehra Almost CSK Head Coach Before Zaheer Khan's Appointment
Chennai Super Kings have officially appointed Zaheer Khan as their new head coach for IPL 2027, ending Stephen Fleming's long association with the franchise. But before this decision was finalised, CricketBuzz has learned that the CSK management explored several other options, and one name stands out prominently — Ashish Nehra.
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who spent nine seasons with Chennai Super Kings, made this revelation on his YouTube channel. Ashwin stated that CSK had indeed reached out to Gujarat Titans' head coach Ashish Nehra with an offer to lead the Chennai franchise, but Nehra turned it down. According to Ashwin, the CSK think tank approached multiple experienced coaches before settling on Zaheer Khan for the top job.
Why Nehra Said No to CSK
Explaining his understanding of the situation, Ashwin said several coaches were considered for the position, and at one point, Nehra was among the frontrunners. However, the former pacer chose to stay loyal to Gujarat Titans, a franchise where he has built a remarkable coaching legacy since its inception. Ashwin pointed out that there was no real incentive for Nehra to leave Gujarat, given the success he has already tasted there.
Nehra has been the head coach of Gujarat Titans since their debut season in 2022, and under his guidance, the franchise won the IPL title in their very first year, with Hardik Pandya leading the side. That triumph immediately established Nehra as one of the sharpest coaching minds in the league, making CSK's interest in him unsurprising. As CricketBuzz reported earlier, CSK's coaching search this off-season involved several high-profile conversations before Zaheer Khan emerged as the final choice to steer the franchise into a new era.
With Zaheer Khan now officially at the helm, questions remain about how his tenure will shape CSK's fortunes going into IPL 2027, especially after a challenging few seasons for the Yellow Army. Stay with CricketBuzz for more updates on this developing coaching saga and all the latest from the IPL ecosystem.