For nearly two decades, Chennai Super Kings built their identity around experience, calm decision-making and players who had seen it all. That long-standing philosophy shifted dramatically at the IPL 2026 auction and head coach Stephen Fleming was at the centre of the change. By spending a joint-record ₹14.2 crore each on two uncapped teenagers, CSK clearly signalled that their future plans now look very different from their past.
Stephen Fleming openly admitted that CSK was not the quickest to adapt to how fast T20 cricket has evolved. Success over the years had reinforced certain ideas and according to Fleming, those ideas were held onto longer than they should have been. He explained that when a system works for so long, it becomes easy to trust it even when the game itself is moving in a new direction.
The turning point came midway through IPL 2025. Under Stephen Fleming’s watch, CSK introduced younger, more aggressive players into a struggling lineup. The arrival of fearless batters brought much-needed intent to the top order. While the team still finished at the bottom of the table, Stephen Fleming made it clear that the season offered valuable lessons that would shape future decisions.
Those lessons came into full effect at the IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi. Stephen Fleming and the CSK management committed ₹28.4 crore to 20-year-old Prashant Veer and 19-year-old Kartik Sharma, backing raw talent and upside over proven experience. Along with other young players already in the squad, they now represent a generation that has grown up entirely on T20 cricket.
Stephen Fleming believes this new crop plays without fear or hesitation and he called them “T20 babies”. Unlike older players who may pause to assess the game, these youngsters operate at one speed. As Fleming explained, the faster the format becomes, the more natural it feels for players who have never known any other version of the game.
For a franchise long defined by stability, Stephen Fleming’s willingness to evolve marks a defining chapter. CSK’s gamble on youth may be risky, but it reflects a clear understanding that modern T20 cricket rewards those brave enough to change.
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