MS Dhoni has put to rest all the speculations that had been doing the rounds for quite some time as he declared his availability for the upcoming IPL 2025 season. This would make the CSK management and its fans pretty happy. Finally, after days of speculation, the CSK icon has gone on record saying that he intends to play and that it’s only the last few years of cricket he wishes to enjoy. For CSK, it means they can crystallize their retention strategy based on their icon leader who has been the heartbeat of the franchise since its inception.
CSK’s CEO Kasi Viswanathan echoed the sentiment of the franchise while saying, “When he is ready, what else do we want? We are happy.” The comments came after Dhoni had said that he was enjoying the game his way while taking care of his physical preparation. Dhoni, who is known for his careful approach, said that he needs to “keep [himself] fit for nine months” to be at his best for the two and a half months of IPL action. He admitted that balancing the physical demands with the sheer enjoyment of the sport remains challenging, especially with the pressure of commitments.
After confirming his retention, CSK are likely to finalize the players’ retention list soon. He will discuss his retention plan with team owner N Srinivasan in a couple of days to chart CSK’s squad for the season. Interestingly, retention by Dhoni will attract just an INR 4-crore price for the franchise. Therefore, CSK can further manage their finances with that extra flexibility.
Alongside Dhoni, CSK may retain star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja as its first choice retention and welcome Ruturaj Gaikwad on board for the second one. Next in the probable retention of CSK might be that of a player who, though small, has performed exceptionally in Sri Lanka with Matheesha Pathirana. Others include Shivam Dube, Devon Conway, and untested Sameer Rizvi whom they are planning to discuss next.
With the advent of IPL, it is an excellent time ahead to see a returning captain with leadership and a legendary presence out in the field.
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For SRH retention list in IPL 2025: Klaasen, Cummins, and Sharma Set to Shine
