MS Dhoni not keen to be CSK's first-choice retention, wants higher salary for other players - Report

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are reportedly set to retain their captain MS Dhoni ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction for the 2022 season. Despite Dhoni being in the final lap of his career, CSK wants him to continue leading the franchise for the next few years until he decides to hang up his boots completely from all forms of cricket.

The 39-year-old had retired from international cricket in August last year but continued to ply his trade in the IPL. While Dhoni is no more the player he once was as far as his batting is concerned, he remains one of the best captains in the league and led CSK to a memorable triumph in IPL 2021 this year.

However, considering Dhoni's waning prowess with the bat and his age, there was scepticism over his retention ahead of the mega auction set to be conducted before the 2022 season as CSK would have to shell out a whopping amount of money to keep him.

Dhoni himself had expressed concerns over his future and said the call will be taken by the franchise after the retention rules were clear. With the existing eight franchises allowed to retain a maximum of four players each, CSK has decided to retain Dhoni as their first-choice player.

However, as per a report in ESPN Cricinfo, Dhoni is not keen on being the first-choice retention for the side and wants CSK to give the higher salary to other players. CSK want to keep Dhoni as their no.1 retention for Rs 16 crore (INR 160 million) so that they can have a big purse ahead of the 2023 auction if the captain retires, however, Dhoni wants better deals for others and not him.

Also Read: List of players likely to be retained by CSK, KKR, DC and MI ahead of IPL mega auction

Any franchise retaining four players will have to shell out a whopping Rs 42 crore (INR 420 million) from their total purse of Rs 90 crore (INR 900 million). The first-choice retention will get Rs 16 crore while the other three will get Rs 12 crore, Rs 8 crore and Rs 6 crore respectively.

CSK have reportedly zeroed in on retaining Dhoni, opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. One out of England all-rounders Moeen Ali and Sam Curran might become their final retention ahead of the mega auction.