CSK Overhaul Continues as Batty Joins and Hussey and Simons Depart

Chennai Super Kings' rebuild gathered pace on Monday as the five-time IPL champions confirmed a sweeping overhaul of their coaching staff ahead of the 2027 season. Batting coach Michael Hussey and bowling coach Eric Simons have both left the franchise, CSK announced in statements thanking them for their service. Hussey has been part of the Super Kings family since the very first season in 2008, first as a player and then as a mentor, while Simons had shaped the bowling unit since 2018. Their exits follow the appointment of Zaheer Khan as head coach for 2027 and the departure of long-serving coach Stephen Fleming to the England Test job. Into the new setup comes Gareth Batty, who has left Surrey after a 21-year association to become a CSK assistant coach. The former England spinner led Surrey to three consecutive County Championship titles between 2022 and 2024, with the county finishing runners-up in 2025, and he will now work under Zaheer. Former India seamer Mohit Sharma has been named bowling coach. Batty's first tasks are immediate: helping shape CSK's retention list ahead of the November 15 deadline, then planning strategy for the mini-auction in Goa on December 16. After three below-par seasons since their 2023 title, the Super Kings are betting on a fresh voice to restore them.