Matthew Hayden says Dinesh Karthik is ’perfect’ candidate for Chennai Super Kings coach
In Amstelveen on August 23, 2026, former Australia batter Matthew Hayden said Dinesh Karthik would be a “perfect” candidate to become Chennai Super Kings head coach. Hayden made the remarks while speaking to The Hindu.
Dinesh Karthik is serving as the batting coach and mentor of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and, according to the report, has been instrumental in the two-time defending IPL champion’s success. Hayden played for CSK between 2008 and 2010 and is co-owner and head coach of Glasgow Cosmic in the European T20 Premier League. The comments came amid discussion over who will replace Stephen Fleming as CSK head coach.
Hayden said the franchise should look within the State to replace Fleming and pointed to candidates already being mentioned. “There’s been names that have been mentioned. One of them was Karthik,” he said. Those remarks followed wider debate about the next CSK appointment.
On Fleming’s contribution, Hayden stressed the partnership he had with M.S. Dhoni and urged the franchise to make the right choice. “It’s something that I really hope the franchise gets right. Flemo did a fantastic job with M.S. Dhoni, that was such a strong engine room of CSK,” Hayden told The Hindu.
The report noted Fleming led Super Kings to five IPL titles and two Champions League crowns, and that after three underwhelming campaigns the Kiwi and the franchise decided to part ways. Reflecting on the change, Hayden said: “You can certainly have support staff who aren’t local, but what a shift! It was such a beautiful campaign that M.S. and Fleming had: so much success, equal titles with Mumbai [Indians], just such good legacy, but it’s a bold and good move. I’m looking forward to seeing who gets the job.”
Hayden reiterated his interest in the appointment, saying he hopes the franchise gets the decision right and that he is keen to see who will be chosen as CSK head coach. The next confirmed step remains the franchise’s selection of Fleming’s replacement.
