Legendary MS Dhoni is reportedly amongst Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) five retained players ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction.
MS Dhoni to be amongst 5 retained CSK players
As per a ESPNCricinfo report, Ruturaj Gaikwad, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, all-rounder Shivam Dube, Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, and the legendary MS Dhoni are expected to five retentions for the five-time IPL champions CSK.
While the exact retention amounts have not been disclosed, it is estimated that CSK will lose a big portion of their overall purse of Rs 120 crore. This strategic move leaves them with one right-to-match option at the upcoming auction.
Undoubtedly, former India captain Dhoni's retention will be a big boost for CSK ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Despite retiring from international cricket in 2019, Dhoni can be retained as an uncapped player due to a recent rule change by the IPL. This rule allows players who haven't played international cricket for five years to be considered uncapped.
The deadline for IPL franchises to submit their list of retained players for the upcoming mega auction is October 31. Each team is allowed to retain up to six players, with a maximum of five capped international players and two uncapped players.
The IPL has established minimum retention costs for each player: INR 18 crore for the first, INR 14 crore for the second, INR 11 crore for the third, INR 18 crore for the fourth, INR 14 crore for the fifth, and INR 4 crore for an uncapped player. However, franchises have the flexibility to exceed these amounts if they choose to do so.
Dhoni, who had relinquished the captaincy of Chennai Super Kings to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the 2024 IPL season, played a limited role with the bat. Despite continuing as the team's primary wicketkeeper, he was often relegated to lower-order batting positions. This strategic decision was made to manage Dhoni's workload, especially after undergoing knee surgery in 2023. Earlier this week, Dhoni expressed his desire to "enjoy whatever remaining years of cricket I'm able to play." He also explained that one reason he faced so few balls during the last IPL was that the T20 World Cup was coming up right afterward. He wanted to give players like Dube and Jadeja the opportunity to "prove themselves for a spot on the Indian team."
