File photo: Owing to Chennai Super Kings’ poor form, fans have questioned if head coach Stephen Fleming, who has been in charge since 2009, deserves to continue in the hot seat. | Photo Credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming acknowledged that the criticism directed towards him following the side’s dismal start to the IPL 2026 season was ‘fair’.

CSK has been winless in its last three encounters and is currently rooted to the bottom of the table, the same position where the side finished last term. It is not a situation fans of the five-time champion have been familiar with. A section of them have questioned if the Kiwi coach, who has been in charge since 2009, deserves to continue in the hot seat.

The coach, however, was quick to respond to suggestions that he hadn’t been up to speed with the exponential changes in the shortest format over the last half-decade.

“Criticism is fair when you’re not doing well; that’s part of the position, and the results dictate that. I’m coaching through the year in two other competitions, so it’s not that I just turn off and then come to the IPL without an idea of where the game is going. I have probably not spent more time studying T20 cricket and players around the world [as much as now],” the head coach said on the eve of the encounter against the Delhi Capitals.

“Yes, we were off the pace last year. [Mine will be] the first hand up. We pivoted quickly. Now, we’ve got some younger players, and I’m very confident about this group. We haven’t shown that as yet [this season]. One of the challenges is the number of players we have changed [from last year]. That means there is a bit of a settling-in process which we are trying to accelerate,” he added.

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Fleming cheekily attributed his long-term association with the team, an aspect that has been dwindling across both franchise and national teams in this era, to the five IPL and two Champions League titles won under his reign.

“It is unusual, and I’m very grateful. But we have been able to operate at a consistent level that I guess has allowed the franchise to put faith in the coaching group. We’re proud of what we achieved, but not satisfied. There is a desire to keep adding,” the 53-year-old said.

The head coach swayed away from the suggestion that he has not been given his due credit despite winning countless championships. “It’s purely the players for me. The coaching off the field is important, but it’s the performances that win titles and eventually what coaches are judged by. I’ve worked with one of the greatest captains of all time, and I’ve been incredibly lucky to do that as a coach,” he said, paying an ode to former skipper M.S. Dhoni, who continues to miss out on action through a calf injury.

Fleming added that Dhoni was ‘working hard to get back’ from a calf strain without giving a timeline for his return.

Published on Apr 10, 2026