CSK uncertain about using uncapped retention card for MS Dhoni: ‘It’s a call MSD will himself take’

Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan has provided a major update on their plans regarding former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the next Indian Premier League season.

The BCCI has already announced the rules for player retention and introduced a new one that will allow CSK to retain MS Dhoni for a lower price.

“A capped Indian player will become uncapped, if the player has in the last five calendar years preceding the year in which the relevant Season is held, not played in the starting XI in International Cricket (Test match, ODI, Twenty20 International) or does not have a Central Contract with BCCI,” the IPL advisory stated.

Dhoni has already retired from international cricket and played his last international match in 2019, which makes him eligible to be retained as an uncapped player for INR 4 crore.

However, CSK CEO Viswanathan made a bold statement that they might not use the uncapped player retention card for the legendary wicketkeeper batter.

“We are not sure at this stage. We might not even use it for MS Dhoni. It’s still too early to comment on this because we haven’t had discussions with him,” Kasi told Times of India.

Dhoni relinquished the captaincy last season as Chennai entered the transition phase under Ruturaj Gaikwad’s captaincy, but the wicketkeeper batter remained a key figure in the side.

Dhoni will take call

Viswanathan further said that Dhoni will take a call on his future and he will have a discussion with him about that in coming days.

“Dhoni was in the US and we haven’t had discussions yet. Now I am travelling this week so there is a possibility of some discussions in the coming week. So there could be some clarity then. We are hopeful of him playing but it’s a call Dhoni will himself take,” adds Kasi.

Meanwhile, five-time champions, the Chennai Super Kings, failed to qualify for the playoffs, but Dhoni managed to entertain the crowd, which came in large numbers to support him at every venue. Coming down the order with very few balls left, Dhoni scored 161 runs in 11 innings at an average of 53.66 and a strike rate of 220.54, with best score of 37* and a total of 14 fours and 13 sixes in the season.