CSK waits for Fleming

The Chennai Super Kings coach is expected to join the camp next Tuesday.

Stephen Fleming has been one of the successful coaches in the IPL.

As Mahendra Singh Dhoni walked towards the nets at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium on Friday evening, he was greeted by Michael Hussey. The former Australia cricketer, who is now the batting coach of Chennai Super Kings, exchanged customaries with the team skipper and then started planning out the net chart.

Read: Dhoni back in his bastion

In the next couple of minutes, bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji and bowling consultant Eric Simmons too gathered near the nets to discuss a thing or two with Dhoni and CSK boss N. Srinivasan. While they chatted for a while, the hundred odd supporters who had come to cheer the Super Kings wondered why was coach Stephen Fleming not to be seen anywhere?

While there is no official word from the camp,  Sportstar  has learnt that the former New Zealand captain — who has been with CSK since the beginning of the IPL in 2008 — will join the side next week, most likely on Tuesday.

In his absence, Hussey, Simmons and Balaji will be looking after the training side of things. Of course, skipper Dhoni too would closely monitor the proceedings.

Considered one of the best coaches in the IPL, Fleming worked with the Super Kings till it was suspended for two years. Going to new franchise, Rising Pune Supergiant, in 2016, Fleming had a forgettable outing. But things changed last season, with the Pune outfit making it to the final of the tournament — only to go down to Mumbai Indians in the summit clash.

When CSK and Rajasthan Royals returned after their two-year suspensions, it was an obvious choice that Fleming would go back to his old franchise.

Perhaps, one of the fans put it aptly, “you cannot take the brain out of a team.”

That’s Fleming for CSK!