With the IPL 2025 just around the corner, the speculation on whether or not MS Dhoni will still be an active player for the Chennai Super Kings has been rife. Citing the new IPL retention policies, BCCI announced that CSK could retain Dhoni as an ‘unproven player’ for as low as Rs 4 crore. However, this has not been made public either by the player or the team. Dhoni, as reported by Sports Tak, is yet to make a call in this regard and is likely to meet CSK on the 29th or the 30th of October. To comply with the above, franchises must include a retention list by October 31.
Reasons have also been given that Dhoni has told the CSK management that he is unable to attend any meetings until after October 28, and that the action on his retention will be made after the meeting.
In light of the mega auction scheduled for IPL 2025, CSK CEO Viswanathan showed optimism that the date of announcement of Dhoni’s participation would be before October 3 allowing him one last hurrah with them.
“We have still no confirmation from him, though we will like him to continue playing for us. Hope he will confirm before 31st [October],” said Viswanathan to ESPNcricinfo
The last day for all ten franchises to convey the deferred retention list towards the IPL governing council in readiness for the mega auction is 31st october.
For the next season, CSK can think of holding Dhoni as an uncapped player due to the shift in restraint on that. IPL reinstated the policy that had been abolished in 2021, under which players able to count as uncapped could have been retired from international cricket for five years.
In case Dhoni agrees to return, it is probable that the 43-year-old cricketer will be retained by CSK as an uncapped player. Only Rs 4 crore needs to be spent by CSK from their overall budget of Rs 120 crore. Before the IPL 2025 mega auction, all the IPL franchises are permitted to retain a maximum of six players.
The last time Dhoni played a match for India was in the semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup against New Zealand when the blue brigade was left with a lot of sorrow.
In the year 2020, after his retirement, Dhoni has not played any tournament except the IPL. In the season 2024, Dhoni scored 161 runs at a strike rate of 220 as he took on the role of a finisher for the team that has won the championship five times.