Reports: MS Dhoni wants CSK to release him ahead of IPL 2021 auction

MS Dhoni, even without playing since the 2019 World Cup, has been in the news in the last few months thanks to his retirement speculations. While the man has managed to maintain the suspense around his international future, it is absolutely clear that he will play in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Rather, if the reports are to be believed, Dhoni will play the IPL 2021 as well but wants the CSK to release him for the mega auction.

The auction ahead of the IPL 2021 will be a huge one like it took place before the 2018 season. MS Dhoni was the first player CSK had retained then which had put him in the top bracket in terms of the payment. However, the veteran now wants the franchise to release and save the money to buy other players. Dhoni has also suggested them to acquire him back through the Right to Match (RTM) card at a relatively lesser price.

The CSK source, while speaking to Times of India, confirmed the news while also stating that MS Dhoni means a lot to the Yellow Brigade and the franchise might not let him go into the auction pool.

There’s no question of his retirement from T20 version, says source

“There will be a big auction before the 2021 IPL and Dhoni has already told us that he will play the tournament. So there’s no question of his retirement from the T20 version anytime soon. He wants to go back to the auction pool for the big auction that will take place ahead of the 2021 season.

“That will give CSK the option of using the Right-to-Match card to pick him, maybe for a lower price. Being the captain he is, Dhoni is ready to sacrifice money for the CSK cause We know what Dhoni means to us. We may not let him go back to the auction pool,” the source said.

Moreover, the source also went on say that MS Dhoni’s retirement question from the IPL will only come up after the 2021 IPL season and even after that he will stick with the CSK as the mentor. “It will be after the 2021 IPL that the question of retirement will come, if at all…And even if he retires, Dhoni will always be the mentor of CSK,” the source further added.

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