With the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction approaching, former Indian and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain, MS Dhoni, shared his candid take on the public buzz surrounding player retentions. Dhoni humorously touched on the intensity with which fans are speculating about retention strategies and player selections.
MS Dhoni praises the unpredictable thrill of the IPL auction
Dhoni highlighted that in the IPL, everyone feels like a “team owner,” with opinions on which players to buy and strategies to follow, making the auction a widely discussed and analyzed event.
“Everyone is a team owner now. Whatever player they want, which player is coming to auction, which player they will buy, we should this, IPL auction is like that,” Dhoni said at the RIGI Prabhav 2024.
Dhoni also highlighted the unpredictability of the auction, noting that players don’t know their future teams. He also mentioned that fans enjoy guessing which teams players will join.
“People come into the auction, and you don’t know where you’re going. The best part is the fans as they predict in which team a certain player will go,” he added.
The former wicket-keeper emphasized that in the IPL auction, every team has the funds to bid, so players must be ready to play for whichever team selects them. This is the unique aspect of the IPL auction.
“Look, you’re in a market, and all teams have money. Whoever buys you, you’ll have to play for them. That is the beauty of IPL auction,” the Ranchi-lad concluded.
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Dhoni confirms participation in IPL 2025
Alongside his lighthearted comments on the auction, Dhoni also recently confirmed his participation in the 2025 IPL season. The news has brought considerable relief to fans and the Chennai Super Kings franchise, who eagerly await his return. After hinting at retirement for several seasons, Dhoni’s commitment to continue has reignited excitement across the CSK fan base.
With the auction approaching, CSK’s management is expected to retain Dhoni as an uncapped player – a strategic move allowed under a new rule set by the IPL Governing Council. This adjustment will allow the franchise to retain their legendary captain at a cost of only INR 4 crore. The change in retention rules is designed to offer franchises flexibility in retaining long-time players who are integral to their brand and performance.