MS Dhoni’s future in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is highly discussed as the deadline for final retentions ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction nears.
Dhoni, 43, has yet to finalize his availability for the 2025 season, leaving fans and the CSK franchise in uncertainty. While he retired from international cricket in 2020, his reputation in the IPL remains as strong as ever, having led CSK to five IPL trophies, tying them with the Mumbai Indians for the most title wins.
According to Sports Tak, CSK authorities want to meet with Dhoni on October 29 or 30, just before the October 31 deadline for submitting the retained player list ahead of the major auction.
The meeting comes after Dhoni reportedly informed the team that he would be unavailable for conversations until October 28, deferring the ultimate decision on his retention until these important dates.
Interestingly, Dhoni is again eligible to be retained as an uncapped player, according to a regulation reinstated by the IPL after it was scrapped in 2021. This regulation permits players who have been out of international cricket for five years to be considered uncapped.
According to the law, CSK will be entitled to retain Dhoni for INR 4 crore, which will not deplete much of their INR 120 crore auction purse.
While speaking after winning the IPL 2023 final as captain, Dhoni declared his intention to return and play in the IPL 2024 as a gesture to his big fan base, who had shown him immense love during his career.
However, the 43-year-old did not get the fairytale ending he had hoped for, as CSK were eliminated from the league stage after losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their penultimate league encounter.
In 14 matches last season, Dhoni scored 161 runs, with a highest score of 37 not out. He maintained an exceptional strike rate of 220.54, hitting 13 sixes and 14 fours.
With the blockbuster auction set to take place in Riyadh on November 24 or 25, Dhoni's decision is critical to CSK's strategy. The franchise will have to decide on its retention policy and auction dynamics based on whether Dhoni returns for another season or retires.
(Sports Tak report)
