New Delhi, September 25, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Newly appointed Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Zaheer Khan has stressed that modern cricket technology cannot replace players’ presence of mind and decision-making in high-pressure situations, saying his coaching approach will focus on balancing data-driven analysis with on-field adaptability.
CSK, five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions, appointed Zaheer as their new head coach on Monday after Stephen Fleming left the role in July. The position marks Zaheer’s first stint as head coach of a cricket team.
Describing his coaching philosophy, Zaheer said he wants to be a good listener and empower players while helping them adapt to the evolving demands of T20 cricket.
“The game is evolving with every year passing by, and it’s about staying ahead of the curve. So, when I look back, what CSK has achieved over the years is predominantly staying ahead of the curve, understanding and adapting to different situations,” Zaheer said in a video posted on the franchise’s YouTube account on Friday.
Zaheer, who was part of India’s 2011 ODI World Cup-winning team, previously served as mentor of Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025 and held senior roles with Mumbai Indians between 2018 and 2022.
He cautioned young cricketers against becoming overly dependent on technology and analytics, stressing the importance of understanding match situations in real time.
“One thing which I’ve been very vocal about in modern-day cricket is the technology playing a big role, and it’s taking away a whole lot from on-ground thinking. The adaptability, the situational awareness – all those kinds of aspects that you talk about and for youngsters, it’s very important to keep up with that,” he said.
Zaheer said technology and data remain useful tools but cannot account for every changing circumstance during a match.
“When it comes to actually going out there on the field and doing it, you’ve got to have that presence of mind,” he said.
“You’ve got to be able to layer it with various aspects, be it the pressures that play on, be it the situation, and sometimes the common sense that you have to use. It’s something that goes differently with every game.”
He said players ultimately have to make decisions themselves once they are on the field.
“So, I think that’s something tech will not be able to take you there. You don’t yet have a tech who is moving with you as the game is moving along. So, in the field, it’s you who is in charge, and it’s you who is going to take that decision,” Zaheer said.
Looking ahead to his first season with CSK, Zaheer highlighted the importance of MS Dhoni’s guidance while also focusing on young captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and the experience within the squad.
He said conversations, understanding and empowering players would be central to the new setup, while the franchise’s existing processes and management vision would provide a foundation.
“MS guidance, I think, is going to be very crucial,” Zaheer said.
He added that the focus would also be on helping Gaikwad shoulder the captaincy responsibility and enabling experienced members of the squad to emerge as leaders and contribute to the team’s decision-making group.
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