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"Another cup loading", "Should have retired gracefully" - Fans split as MS Dhoni retained by CSK as uncapped player for IPL 2025

Five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have retained MS Dhoni as an uncapped player for INR 4 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. The 43-year-old has been retained after the BCCI and IPL governing council brought back the 2021 edition rule - a player can be retained as uncapped if he has not played international cricket for five years.

Dhoni amassed 161 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 220.54 last season. Overall, the Ranchi-born player is among only a few batters to complete 5,000 runs in the T20 league. As a skipper, he led the Super Kings to five IPL titles before leaving the leadership role last year.

Fans on X came up with mixed reactions to MS Dhoni's retention by CSK ahead of IPL 2025. One user wrote:

"MSD is back for one more trophy."

Another user wrote:

"Another cup loading."

A third user added:

"Great for CSK, amazing!"

Here are a few contrasting reactions:

"MSD should have retired gracefully," another fan wrote.

"I just want to enjoy whatever last few years of cricket I'm able to play" - MS Dhoni ahead of IPL 2025

MS Dhoni recently said that he was looking forward to enjoying the last few years of his cricket career. The legendary wicketkeeper-batter said in a promotional event (via ESPNcricinfo):

"I just want to enjoy whatever last few years of cricket I'm able to play. Like how during our childhood we used to go out and play at 4[pm], just enjoying the game."
"But when you play professional sport it becomes difficult to enjoy the game just like a game. So what I want to do is, there are emotions and commitments, but I want to enjoy the game for the next few years," he added.

Apart from MS Dhoni, CSK retained skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja at INR 18 crore apiece. Meanwhile, Matheesha Pathirana and Shivam Dube were retained at INR 13 and INR 12 crore, respectively.

CSK Players released: Moeen Ali (retired), Deepak Chahar, Devon Conway, Tushar Deshpande, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ajay Mandal, Mukesh Choudhary, Matheesha Pathirana, Ajinkya Rahane, Shaik Rasheed, Mitchell Santner, Simarjeet Singh, Nishant Sindhu, Prashant Solanki, Rachin Ravindra, Shardul Thakur, Daryl Mitchell, Sameer Rizvi, Mustafizur Rahman, Avanish Rao Aravelly.

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