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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) CEO Kasi Viswanathan has shed light on the club's efforts to retain former India captain MS Dhoni for the upcoming IPL 2025.

While many expected Dhoni to retire after the 2024 season, there's still a possibility of him making a comeback at the age of 43. However, the final decision rests with the legendary cricketer himself.

Viswanathan, in an interview with Sports Vikatan, revealed that Dhoni has not confirmed his availability for the next season. "We want Dhoni to play for CSK," he said. "But Dhoni hasn't confirmed it to us yet. He said, 'I will tell you before October 31.'"

A NEW RULE COULD BENEFIT DHONI

The introduction of a new uncapped player retention rule could work in Dhoni's favor. This rule allows teams to retain former Indian internationals at a discounted base price if they haven't played international cricket in the last five years. Given Dhoni's retirement from international cricket in 2019, CSK could retain him at a lower cost, ensuring a significant portion of their 2024 squad remains intact.

DHONI'S IMPACT ON CSK

Despite relinquishing the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dhoni continues to play a crucial role in CSK as a mentor and wicket-keeper. His batting prowess was evident in the previous IPL, where he averaged 53 with a remarkable strike rate of 220.55.

However, Dhoni's age and the physical demands of wicket-keeping are factors that CSK will need to consider. The team has until October 31 to announce their retention list ahead of the IPL 2025 auction.