MS Dhoni has been the most successful captain in Indian cricket history. The Jharkhand-based wicket-keeper batsman redefined the word ‘captaincy’ with his unique tactics and strategies. Every team wants a captain like MS Dhoni now, which shows the success of Thala.
Apart from the Indian cricket team, Dhoni has also served as the captain of Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiant in IPL matches. Many players who were playing with Dhoni once upon a time have now retired and some have even taken up coaching responsibilities of IPL franchises.
In this article, we will have a look at the five current IPL coaches who once played under MS Dhoni’s captaincy.
1.Stephen Fleming
The head coach of Chennai Super Kings, Stephen Fleming played only a few IPL matches in his career. The left-handed top-order played for Chennai and then became the team’s coach.
Fleming played under the captaincy of MS Dhoni in IPL 2008. The Kiwi player featured in 10 matches for Chennai Super Kings, where he scored 196 runs in 10 innings. His highest score was 45.
2.Michael Hussey
Michael Hussey was one of the main batsmen for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. The southpaw from Australia won two IPL trophies with Chennai, one in 2010 and the other in 2011.
Hussey has retired from cricket now, and he has taken up the role of Chennai Super Kings’ batting coach. It is noteworthy that Michael used to play under MS Dhoni’s captaincy when he was a player.
3.Lakshmipathy Balaji
Lakshmipathy Balaji joined the Chennai Super Kings coaching staff as their new bowling coach in 2018. The right-arm medium-fast bowler played in the IPL for CSK, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Kings XI Punjab.
He had a decent IPL career, but now he is working as CSK’s coach. Just like the two other coaches of Chennai, Balaji also played under Dhoni’s captaincy.
4.Brendon McCullum
The new head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders, Brendon McCullum had lit up the Indian Premier League with a swashbuckling performance on the opening night. McCullum smacked an unbeaten 158* against RCB.
After KKR released him, McCullum played for Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Gujarat Lions, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. The New Zealander played under MS Dhoni’s captaincy while donning the yellow jersey.
5.Wasim Jaffer
The current batting coach of Kings XI Punjab, Wasim Jaffer was considered as the next big thing in Indian cricket. His solid performances in domestic cricket helped him earn a national call-up.
MS Dhoni became the Indian Test team captain in 2008, and Jaffer played a few Tests under the Chennai Super Kings captain’s leadership. Unfortunately, Jaffer could not make it big in the global arena.
