YES! MS DHONI WILL PLAY IPL 2025. In what has come as a groundbreaking news, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are set to retain five huge names, one of which includes MS Dhoni. ‘Thala’ is the biggest name in the league, and is set to compete in his 18th consecutive IPL season.
As per ESPNcricinfo, the five-time champions are set to retain Dhoni, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, talisman Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube and slingy pacer Matheesha Pathirana.
IPL 2025: MS Dhoni to be retained as an uncapped player
MS Dhoni, who hung up his captaincy boots on the eve of IPL 2024, has been purely participating in the IPL, mostly as a wicketkeeper. He has reduced his role to just 10-15 balls per innings, and is not even expected to be part of the league for the next 3-4 years. Courtesy of this, CSK has opt to exercise the new uncapped rule that allows players (who played their last international match five years ago) to be retained for just Rs 4 crore. This means Dhoni has agreed to take a 70% pay cut in order to play IPL 2025. Dhoni’s current contract is of Rs 12 crore. But now, he will earn Rs 4 crore annually.
While the retention amount might not matter to Dhoni as much, this news will surely come as a delightful news for his and CSK fans. “I just want to enjoy whatever last few years of cricket I am able to play. When you play cricket like a professional sport, it becomes difficult to enjoy it just like a game. That’s what I want to do. It’s not easy. The emotions keep coming, the commitments are there. I want to enjoy the game for the next few years,” Dhoni himself hinted to continue for a few more years in IPL during a promotional event.
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Dube in, no Conway-Rachin
While the retention amount of “capped” players are not announced, Shivam Dube is expected to earn more than 10 crores. The report also says that both Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra are not part of CSK’s retention list.
Given how great Conway (for CSK) and Rachin (for New Zealand) have performed so far, one of the two were touted to be retained. However, Chennai have gone ahead with retaining both Dube and Pathirana. Dube has been in sensational form in CSK colors. He has played across three seasons, hammering 1,103 runs at a strike rate of close to 160. Apart from this, Pathirana is CSK’s find only and it would be surprising if they release him. With his slingy action and extreme pace, Pathirana has that X-factor in him. Across 20 innings, he has bagged 34 wickets at a miserly economy rate of 7.8.
CSK IPL 2025 Retentions (as per reports)
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Shivam Dube
- Matheesha Pathirana
- MS Dhoni (uncapped)
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