A call on whether to retain MS Dhoni for the next season of the IPL will be taken only after knowing the rules of the system, a top Chennai Super Kings official said on Sunday.
The retention rules have not been laid down as yet and two more teams are set to be added in the 2022 edition.
“The rules of retention are not clear yet…We are not sure about the number of retentions that will be allowed. And a call on that will be made once the rules are known,” the official told PTI when asked about the possibility of using a retention card to retain the talismanic Dhoni.
The iconic CSK skipper is the toast of the cricketing world after guiding the franchise to a fourth IPL title on Friday in Dubai.
Earlier, Dhoni had said that he would like to create a roadmap for the next 10 years for CSK. The skipper had said that he hadn’t decided how he would fit into the retention scheme of things.
“Again I’ve said it before, it depends on the BCCI. With two new teams coming in, we have to decide what is good for CSK,” he had said after his team defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 27 runs in the IPL final.
“It’s not about me being there in the top-three or four. It’s about making a strong core to ensure the franchise doesn’t suffer.
The core group, we have to have a hard look to see who can contribute for the next 10 years,” he had said.
The CSK official also said any celebrations by the team would wait till the captain returns after finishing his role as a mentor with the Indian T20 World Cup team in the UAE.
“The victory celebrations will have to wait for the return of Dhoni after he is done with the role as mentor of the Indian team for the T20 World Cup,” he said.
Meanwhile, CSK’s star batter Ruturaj Gaikwad returned to Pune to a warm welcome on Sunday.
The stylish right-hander had scored 635 runs to win the Orange cup for the highest run-getter in the just-concluded IPL. A few of the CSK’s city-based players are expected to reach Chennai on Monday.