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"CSK slow to evolve": Coach Fleming admits flawed philosophy as franchise goes all youth

Akshita Patel

Stephen Fleming on CSK's new approach [Source: @definitelynot05/X.com]Stephen Fleming on CSK's new approach [Source: @definitelynot05/X.com]

After a disastrous last-place finish in the IPL 2025 season, head coach Stephen Fleming openly admitted that CSK have been slow to evolve with the rapidly changing demands of T20 cricket. This rare but honest confession came after the IPL 2026 mini-auction.

Chennai Super Kings have long been celebrated for trusting experience, loyalty and calm heads under pressure. But their ‘daddy’s army’ finished in last place last year. And hence, CSK seems to have adopted a new approach. 

CSK headed into a new era, Fleming confirms

At the IPL 2026 mini-auction table, the franchise stunned everyone by spending a joint-record ₹14.2 crore each on two uncapped teenagers, Prashant Veer (20) and Kartik Sharma (19). 

For a team once nicknamed “Dad’s Army,” this was nothing short of a philosophical u-turn. 

After the auction, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming admitted that his franchise was left behind in evolution.

"As the game has evolved, we might have been a little bit slow to evolve with it. Only halfway through the [last] tournament we had a big shift and you saw with the players we got in as reserves, there was a shift in what we needed to do," Fleming told press after auction. 

Fleming revealed that the change in thinking actually began midway through IPL 2025, a season CSK finished at the bottom. 

Injuries forced the team to bring in Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre and Urvil Patel as replacements, and the impact was immediate. 

"Sometimes you can hang on to theories and philosophies because of past success but we identified that we needed to shift and partly the work that we did last season halfway through has enabled us to continue that work done," he added.

The fresh faces brought energy, fearless intent and a tempo that CSK had struggled to match against younger, faster teams. 

Fleming described the new generation as “T20 babies,” players who have grown up playing nothing but the shortest format. Unlike experienced stars who sometimes overthink situations, these youngsters play with freedom and zero fear. 

According to Fleming, mental freedom is becoming a decisive advantage as the game gets quicker and more aggressive.

"I just wonder if we're now seeing the product of T20 coming to the fore. So that is one thing to acknowledge, that T20 babies are now coming through. And it's just that mental aspect. Sometimes an experienced player can get caught up in himself, trying to work out where the game's going and what's going on. But these young players these days, they're just very free and they only know one way."

CSK buy 9 players in IPL 2026 auction

Chennai Super Kings made a clear shift toward youth and versatility at the IPL 2026 auction. The headline buys were youngsters Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma. 

CSK also strengthened their bowling with Akeal Hosein, Matt Henry and Rahul Chahar, while adding all-round depth through Matthew Short, Aman Khan and Zakary Foulkes. Sarfaraz Khan’s inclusion boosts the middle-order batting options.