“I will retain Dhoni as a normal capped player” – Ravichandran Ashwin comes up with interesting retention suggestion for CSK

India’s veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has come up with an interesting retention suggestion for Chennai Super Kings before IPL mega auction. Ashwin wants the five-time champions to retain their former skipper MS Dhoni as a normal capped player.

According to new retention rules, CSK can retain Dhoni as an uncapped player as he hasn’t played any international cricket in the last five years after his retirement and doesn’t have a central contract with the BCCI.

According to new retention rules released by the IPL governing council, every franchise can retain a maximum of six players through retention or Right to Match card, out of which two can be uncapped. 

Meanwhile, Dhoni scored 161 runs in 11 innings at an impressive average of 53.67 and a blistering strike rate of 220.54 in IPL 2024. Ashwin wants CSK to retain skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, explosive batter Shivam Dube and veteran MS Dhoni as capped players.

Ashwin said on his YouTube Channel, “I will give a fresh perspective. I will retain Rutu (Gaikwad), Jaddu (Jadeja), Dube, Pathirana and Dhoni. I will retain Dhoni as a normal capped player, not as an uncapped player.”

The off-spinner said he would retain Sameer Rizvi as an uncapped player.

“I’ll retain these five and will get Sameer Rizvi as my sixth retention.”

Meanwhile, Ruturaj Gaikwad was the second-highest run-getter in IPL 2024 as he scored 583 runs in 14 matches at an average of 53 while leading Chennai Super Kings for the first time.

CSK could not qualify for the playoffs in the previous season of the IPL. IPL mega auction is set to take place in November and all 10 teams are expected to release their retention list before 30th October.