Ravichandran Ashwin says MS Dhoni likely to mentor at CSK

Ravichandran Ashwin said MS Dhoni will likely take up a mentorship role at Chennai Super Kings following Zaheer Khan's appointment as head coach. Ashwin spoke on his YouTube channel about the new dynamic between Dhoni, Zaheer and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.

CSK parted ways with Stephen Fleming after 18 years as head coach following three consecutive seasons without reaching the playoffs. Zaheer previously mentored Lucknow Super Giants and played 100 IPL matches across three franchises. Dhoni missed the entire 2026 season due to injury and will turn 46 during the next edition.

Ashwin expressed surprise that CSK decided Fleming could not adapt to Gaikwad's captaincy after Fleming successfully adjusted his approach to suit Dhoni over many years. He said the new coaching setup would test how Gaikwad balances advice from both Zaheer and Dhoni.