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MS Dhoni doesn't want CSK to lose money trying to retain him: N Srinivasan opens up on MSD's IPL future

WION Web Team
New Delhi, India Updated: Nov 02, 2021, 04:47 PM IST
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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) co-owner N Srinivasan has said, captain MS Dhoni doesn't want the franchise to waste money on retaining him ahead of IPL 2022.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) co-owner N Srinivasan has opened up on the future of captain MS Dhoni ahead of the mega Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is all set to conduct a mega auction ahead of the 2022 season to ensure the two new teams get a fair chance at building their respective squads from scratch. IPL will become a ten-team tournament from next year with the addition of Ahmedabad and Lucknow franchises.

With the two new teams in the fray, a lot of players will be in demand at the mega auction. The franchises have been asked to confirm their retention list by the BCCI, with the existing eight teams allowed to retain a maximum of four players. Each team can retain a maximum of only three Indian players and not more than two overseas players. 

Chennai Super Kings will be one of the teams to watch out for as far as retentions are concerned as all eyes will be on Dhoni. The CSK skipper led the franchise to their fourth title in IPL 2021 and has not announced his retirement from IPL yet.

While CSK have already asserted they would want to retain Dhoni, there remain doubts over his future considering he is in the final lap of his career and it will cost a fortune for the franchise to retain him. Srinivasan said Dhoni doesn't want CSK to spend a lot of money on retaining him and explained why he said 

"MS is a very fair person. He wanted the retention policy to come out as he didn’t want CSK to lose money trying to retain him. That is the reason why he gave different replies to people. However, he made a very regnant statement. On being asked about the legacy he left behind, he said I am not gone. So, that says it all," Srinivasan told Editorji.

As per the retentions rules, any team which wants to retain players will have to spend a huge amount from their purse of INR 900 million (Rs 90 crore). If a team decides to retain 4 players, it will have to spend INR 420 million (Rs 42 crore) in total if they want to retain four players, INR 330 million (Rs 33 crore) of they want to retain three players and INR 240 million (Rs 24 crore) of they want to retain two players.

Here is a breakdown of the salary cap of retained players:

4 Players -  INR 420 million (Rs 42 crore)

Player 1 -  INR 160 million (Rs 16 crore)
Player 2 -  INR 120 million (Rs 12 crore)
Player 3 -  INR 80 million (Rs 8 crore) 
Player 4 -  INR 60 million (Rs 6 crore)

3 Players - INR 330 million (Rs 33 crore)

Player 1 -  INR 150 million (Rs 15 crore)
Player 2 -  INR 110 million (Rs 11 crore)
Player 3 -  INR 70 million (Rs 7 crore)

2 Players - INR 240 million (Rs 24 crore)

Player 1  -  INR 140 million (Rs 14 crore)
Player 2  -  INR 100 million (Rs 10 crore)

1 Player - INR 140 million (Rs 14 crore)

CSK might have to spend at least INR 60-70 million (Rs 6-7 crore) if they want to retain Dhoni. Thus, Dhoni, who knows he might not play for the full three years of the contractual cycle from 2022 to 2025, will be worried about CSK spending too much money on him and not focusing on the rest of the squad.

However, when asked about the CSK skipper's future, Srinivasan remained tight-lipped but insisted it is a happy answer.

“I know the answer but I don’t know whether I should say it or not but it’s a happy answer," said the CSK co-owner, hinting that Dhoni mght continue with the four-time champions next year.