Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed that Ashish Nehra was among the candidates considered for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach position before the franchise appointed former India pacer Zaheer Khan. According to Ashwin, Nehra had been part of the discussions but did not have a strong reason to leave Gujarat Titans (GT), where he has enjoyed considerable success since becoming their head coach. Nehra guided GT to the IPL title in their debut season in 2022 and helped them reach the final again in 2023.

“There have been conversations with several coaches. In fact, if I’m not wrong, I think Ashish Nehra was also at some stage in the frame. Ashish Nehra doesn’t need to leave GT. He’s running an absolutely successful franchise in GT,” Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Ashwin, who spent a significant part of his IPL career with CSK, also suggested that two other Indian coaches were considered for the role. He added that several overseas candidates were discussed, although agreements could not be reached for different reasons.

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“I think there are two other Indian legends whose contracts also happened. There were a few foreigners whose contracts happened, but the deal couldn’t happen for many reasons. The reasons were very different. In some cases, they were not ready to take a one-year contract,” Ravichandran Ashwin explained.

He further revealed that one overseas coach was reportedly close to finalising a deal with CSK but had concerns about working during international tournaments, which could have resulted in financial losses. Nehra previously played for CSK during the 2014 and 2015 IPL seasons. The left-arm pacer picked up 30 wickets in 20 matches for the franchise before retiring from professional cricket.

CSK eventually turned to Zaheer Khan, who has signed a one-year contract as head coach. The appointment marks Zaheer’s first major head coaching role in the IPL after previously working in coaching and mentorship positions. Ashwin backed the franchise’s decision and believes Zaheer has the cricketing knowledge and personality required for the role.

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“I think the choice of Zahir Khan is fabulous. I do not doubt it. He ticks all the boxes. Smart man, knows cricket, knows bowling tactics well, and will blend in nicely. His relationship with Dhoni is very good,” Ravichandran Ashwin said.

Ashwin also expects Zaheer and MS Dhoni to work well together, believing their existing rapport could help CSK maintain a clear direction under the new coaching setup.