"The ball is not in our court right now" - MS Dhoni answers if he would continue playing for CSK in IPL 2025
Former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni recently commented on his future in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The 43-year-old hasn't announced his retirement from the league, giving fans hope of seeing him on the cricket field again next year.
Commenting on his future, Dhoni stated that he hasn't decided if he would play in IPL 2025. The seasoned keeper-batter suggested that he and the Chennai-based franchise would take a call once they get to know about the retention rules.
Dhoni made these remarks during a media interaction. A video of the celebrated cricketer's answer was shared on social media by one of his fan clubs.
Here's what MS Dhoni said about his IPL future:
"The rules and regulations will be made for retentions. There is still a lot of time for all that. We will decide once we get to know about the rules and regulations. The ball is not in our court right now. When the rules get formalized, then we will decide. We will have to make the decision that is best for the team because, at the end of the day, we all want the team to do well. So based on the rules, regulations, and retentions, we will see what is best for CSK, and we will take the best step forward."
It is worth mentioning that a meeting between the BCCI and the IPL team owners was held in Mumbai on Wednesday, July 31. Several media reports indicated there were discussions around the number of retentions, auction pure, and impact player rule.
According to a report from Cricbuzz, MS Dhoni's IPL future will depend on the number of retentions allowed ahead of the upcoming auction. The report further claimed that the five-time IPL winner could participate in the 2025 edition if teams are allowed to retain five to six players.
MS Dhoni relinquished CSK captaincy before IPL 2024
MS Dhoni is one of the most successful captains in IPL history, having led CSK to five titles, the joint-most alongside Mumbai Indians (MI). However, his captaincy tenure with Chennai ended earlier this year.
Ahead of IPL 2024, Dhoni stepped down as the CSK captain, handing the reins to opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad. Under a new skipper, the team failed to qualify for the playoffs.
CSK finished fifth in the points table, securing seven wins and as many losses. Their hopes of finishing in the top four were shattered with a heartbreaking 27-run defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their final league match.
While Dhoni batted at No. 8 in CSK's batting lineup for most games, he still dazzled the viewers with his quick-fire cameos. The swashbuckling batter scored 161 runs from 73 balls at a strike rate of 220.54 in IPL 2024.