There has been a lot of speculation about former India captain MS Dhoni’s future with the Chennai Super Kings ahead of the IPL 2025. According to the new IPL retention rules, CSK may retain Dhoni for as little as Rs 4 crore as an ‘uncapped player’. However, something solid has yet to be confirmed, either by the player or the franchise. According to Sports Tak, Dhoni has yet to confirm his availability but is likely to meet with CSK authorities on the 29th or 30th of October. October 31 is the official deadline for franchises to submit their retention lists.
According to the report, Dhoni has informed CSK management that he will be unavailable for meetings until October 28 and that the decision on his retention will be made after the discussion. As the blockbuster auction for the IPL 2025 approaches, CSK CEO Viswanathan hopes that one of their most decorated players will confirm his participation by October 31 and return for another dance.
“We still have not received confirmation from him, but we hope he will continue to play for us. Viswanathan told ESPNcricinfo, “I hope he confirms before October 31st.”
The IPL has set a deadline of October 31 for all ten franchises to submit their list of retained players ahead of the big auction.
Following a regulation change, CSK now has the option of keeping Dhoni uncapped in the forthcoming season. The IPL reinstated a regulation that was repealed in 2021, allowing players to be considered uncapped even if they have retired from international cricket for five years.
If Dhoni confirms his availability, the 43-year-old will most likely be kept by CSK as an uncapped player. CSK will need to spend only Rs 4 crore of their Rs 120 crore budget. All IPL franchises are permitted to keep up to six players prior to the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Dhoni’s last outing for India came in the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, which ended in defeat. After retiring in 2020, Dhoni did not participate in any other event outside the IPL. In the 2024 season, Dhoni scored 161 runs with a strike rate of 220 as a finisher for the five-time champions.