MS Dhoni’s future in the Indian Premier League (IPL) remains uncertain as the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have yet to initiate talks with the legendary wicketkeeper-batter regarding his potential retention as a player. However, a recent report suggests that the two parties are scheduled to meet in mid-October to discuss the matter.
The IPL Governing Council’s decision to reinstate the rule allowing retired Indian players to be selected as uncapped players has opened up the possibility for CSK to retain Dhoni in the INR 4 crore category, freeing up funds for other players ahead of the auction.
According to Cricbuzz, Dhoni has returned from his US trip and is expected to hold talks with CSK in the coming weeks. The ten IPL franchises are permitted to retain up to six players from their IPL 2024 squad, including a maximum of five capped players and two uncapped players.
Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja believes Dhoni’s retention is a foregone conclusion. “MS Dhoni for sure. There’s no doubt about that, especially because he’s now an uncapped player. He’s done a lot for the team and has no desire to be treated as the No. 1 player on the squad. His value is unquestioned.”
Ruturaj Gaikwad, the current CSK captain, and Ravindra Jadeja are also expected to be retained. Ex-India batter Aakash Chopra suggests that CSK may use the Right to Match (RTM) card to acquire Deepak Chahar, depending on his fitness.
“I don’t think they’ll retain five players. They might go for 3-4. I see two players worth 18 CR in Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja. If you want to keep them, you have to match that price. Other than that, they have MS Dhoni, Shivam Dube, and Matheesha Pathirana.”
“I think they’ll keep Dube and use the RTM card for Deepak Chahar, maybe, depending on his fitness. The price for these players is really high, so the RTM card could be useful to get players for cheaper. If Dube is sold in the auction, he might fetch over 10 or 11 crores.”
