Dhoni's IPL Future Hinges on New Regulations

As the regulations for IPL 2025 player retention and management are being finalised, MS Dhoni has expressed his intention to await the final rules before making a decision about his future with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Dhoni mentioned that there is ample time to consider his decision, emphasising the need to understand the rules around player retention first. He noted that currently, the decision lies with the authorities, and once the rules are formalised, he will make a choice that benefits the team. These comments were made during a promotional event in Hyderabad.

Dhoni’s future in the IPL has been a hot topic, especially after CSK appointed Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain for IPL 2024. CSK ended up in the fifth position and missed the playoffs that season. Presently, the ten IPL teams are not unanimous about the mega auction rules, including player retention and the Impact Player rule. Following a meeting in Mumbai, BCCI secretary Jay Shah mentioned that there was a productive discussion with IPL team owners on various issues, and the recommendations would be forwarded to the IPL Governing Council for further review.

Regarding his favourite players, Dhoni, who led India to victories in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup, named Jasprit Bumrah as his favourite bowler from the Indian team. Bumrah had an impressive performance in India's T20 World Cup win in June, taking 15 wickets in eight matches with an economy rate of 4.17.

Dhoni explained that it was straightforward to choose Bumrah as his preferred bowler but found it challenging to select a favourite batsman due to the abundance of talent. He remarked that every batter he watches seems outstanding, and he refrains from choosing one as long as the team is winning. Dhoni hopes that the batsmen will continue to perform well and score runs for the team.