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The world of cricket coaching recognizes Stephen Fleming as one of its most esteemed coaches. The New Zealand captain who retired from playing cricket became a coach who dedicated himself to his coaching work from 2004 onward until T20 leagues became international.

 

Fleming dedicated his whole professional career to coach Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and MS Dhoni, which became his main path toward building his coaching legacy. Fleming achieved his professional triumphs at CSK, where he clinched five IPL championships, since he won major titles with that team only. He did not win any head coaching championships outside CSK, even though he managed multiple strong teams throughout various leagues.

 

Fleming’s Coaching Journey Across Global T20 Leagues

 

Fleming became the head coach of CSK in 2009. The Rising Pune Supergiant (RPSG) period marked his first appearance at CSK before he moved to another team before returning to his original position. He has taken on coaching roles for multiple teams in the Big Bash League (BBL) and SA20 and Major League Cricket (MLC) leagues throughout his career.

 

Fleming reached finals in the league which had MS Dhoni as captain in both CSK and RPSG in 2017. He brought consistent performance to other teams which he coached yet he failed to secure any titles.

 

The CSK playing style depends on Dhoni who maintains tactical composure while directing matches through his strong leadership abilities. Fleming has frequently explained that Dhoni helps him complete his work because Dhoni handles on-field duties while understanding weather conditions better than most.

 

CSK maintains its position as the most successful T20 franchise team because of this successful partnership between its players. Fleming's teams failed to win any championships without Dhoni even though they had talented players.

 

Also Read | India U19 vs NZ U19: Full Head-to-Head Record in U19 World Cup History

 

Fleming’s Record in Major Teams (Head Coach Only)

 

Years	Team
2009-2015, 2018-present	Chennai Super Kings
2015-2019	Melbourne Stars
2016-2017	Rising Pune Supergiant
2022-present	Joburg Super Kings
2023-present	Texas Super Kings

 

Chennai Super Kings (IPL)

 

Year	Matches	Won	Lost	Stage	Result
2008	16	9	7	Final	Runners-up
2009	15	8	6	Semi	Semi-finalists
2010	16	9	7	Final	Champions
2011	16	11	5	Final	Champions
2012	19	10	8	Final	Runners-up
2013	18	12	6	Final	Runners-up
2014	16	10	6	Playoffs	Qualified
2015	17	10	7	Final	Runners-up
2018	16	11	5	Final	Champions
2019	17	10	7	Final	Runners-up
2020	14	6	8	League	7th
2021	16	11	5	Final	Champions
2022	14	4	10	League	9th
2023	16	10	5	Final	Champions
2024	14	7	7	League	5th
2025	14	4	10	League	10th

 

Fleming has won five IPL titles with CSK (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023) and finished runners-up five times. The team CSK has maintained its reputation as the most reliable IPL team throughout all historical periods.

 

Rising Pune Super Giants (IPL)

 

Year	Played	Won	Lost	Position
2016	14	5	9	7th (Group)
2017	16	10	6	Runners-up

 

Dhoni and Fleming reached the final together in 2017, but they lost the match by one run against the Mumbai Indians.

 

Melbourne Stars (BBL)

 

Season	Win-Loss	Finish
2015-16	5–3	Runners-up
2016-17	4–4	Semi-final
2017-18	2–8	DNQ
2018-19	7–7	Runners-up

 

Fleming led the Melbourne Stars to two finals, but his team lost both championship games.

 

Also Read | T20 World Cup 2026: Full List of Players Ruled Out Due to Injuries

 

Joburg Super Kings (SA20)

 

Season	Finish
2022-23	Semi-final
2023-24	Quarter-final
2024-25	Eliminator
2026	Eliminator

 

Texas Super Kings (MLC)

 

Season	Finish
2023	Challenger
2024	Challenger
2025	Challenger

 

Key Point: Dhoni Factor in Fleming’s Legacy

 

Fleming reached his championship victories because of his close relationship with CSK and Dhoni. Under Dhoni, CSK has:

 

• Won 5 IPL titles
• Reached 10 IPL finals
• Rarely finished outside playoffs

 

Fleming has made it to multiple playoff rounds with teams that didn't feature Dhoni but he has never clinched a championship.

 

The CSK-Dhoni-Fleming partnership establishes an exclusive partnership which stands alone within T20 cricket. Dhoni operates to manage match tactics and decide on field placements while Fleming assists with planning and scouting activities and maintaining dressing room order. The method of shared style has contributed to CSK's sustained achievements over time.