Former Chennai Super Kings pace bowler Yo Mahesh has been appointed head coach of Tamil Nadu for the 2026-27 season. At 38, he becomes one of the youngest head coaches on the Indian domestic circuit.
A familiar face
Mahesh knows the state set-up well. He has worked with the Tamil Nadu Under-19 side and helped develop emerging players. Last season he took that team to the semi-finals of the Cooch Behar Trophy, where they lost to eventual champions Madhya Pradesh. His knowledge of the structure and the current group of players is expected to help him with the senior side.
Another change at the top
Tamil Nadu had a tough 2025-26, failing to reach the knockouts in any of the three major domestic tournaments. Mahesh’s appointment means the state will have its fifth head coach in four seasons.
Mahesh’s vision
Mahesh stressed the need for a strong culture, clear roles and a more modern approach. He said players must feel secure and understand what is expected of them, and that the side can no longer be soft but must be ready for a fight each time they take the field. He added that the talent is there but must adapt to how the modern game is played, that change will not happen overnight, and that getting players to buy in is his biggest challenge.
Support staff
He joins assistant coaches R. Srinivasan (red-ball) and J. Hariesh (white-ball). V. Maaruthi Raghav has been named head coach of the Under-19 team.
Tamil Nadu will hope the new approach helps them return to contention.
