The IPL governing council has finalized the player retention rules ahead of the upcoming mega auction, allowing Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to retain their legendary captain MS Dhoni as an uncapped player. While Dhoni has yet to confirm his IPL future, many former Indian cricketers believe CSK will retain him without hesitation due to his pivotal role in all five of the franchise’s IPL titles.
Each IPL franchise can retain up to six players, using either the direct retention or Right to Match (RTM) option. However, franchises can only retain a maximum of five capped players (Indian or overseas) and two uncapped players. The deadline for announcing retained players is October 31.
Former India all-rounder Ajay Jadeja believes retaining Dhoni is a “no-brainer” for CSK, particularly since he qualifies as an uncapped player now. “MS Dhoni for sure,” Jadeja said during an appearance on JioCinema. He highlighted Dhoni’s significant contributions to the team and his lack of desire to be treated as CSK’s top player.
Jadeja also suggested that CSK should prioritize retaining key players like Ruturaj Gaikwad, who had an impressive season, and Ravindra Jadeja, who remains an essential part of the squad.
Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra agrees with retaining Dhoni but believes CSK might not retain more than four players. Chopra sees Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja as top retention targets, estimating their combined value at around 18 crore. “If you want to keep them, you have to match that price,” Chopra noted.
Chopra also highlighted all-rounder Shivam Dube as a potential breakout player in the auction, predicting he could fetch over 10 or 11 crore if released. Additionally, he mentioned that CSK might use the RTM card for Deepak Chahar, depending on his fitness status.
With the mega auction approaching, CSK will have to carefully decide which players to retain and which to release. The ability to retain Dhoni as an uncapped player offers significant flexibility, while players like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shivam Dube remain critical for the franchise’s future success.
