New Delhi: MS Dhoni’s rumoured comeback to Indian Premier League franchisee Chennai Super Kings (CSK) might soon turn true. After the IPL Governing Council (GC) meeting was held on Wednesday by the BCCI, the eight teams could now retain as much as five players.
Options are available. Teams could opt for two retentions and three Right to Match or three retentions and two Right to Match. However in the meeting it was discussed that teams could retain not more than than three Indian and two foreign players.
"An IPL Franchise is eligible to secure up to 5 players by virtue of a combination of Player Retention (Pre Player Auction) and Right to Match (RTM) (During the Player Auction)," BCCI Acting Secretary Amitabh Choudhary said in a
statement after the meeting.
"The player pool available for CSK and RR for retention/RTM will be the players' who played for them respectively in IPL 2015 and who were part of RPS and Gujarat Lions squads in IPL 2017," he added.
The GC will send the options to the franchise, who will make a final decision before the 2018 auction commences. The meeting, that was also held by the Committee of Administrators (CoA) also discussed the budget each franchisee will hold.
The total purse of each team will range from Rs 66 to 80 crores. The salary cap for uncapped players has also been increased.
Also read: Bye-bye Suresh Raina? CSK may retain MS Dhoni, R Ashwin, Faf du Plessis for IPL 2018
In October this year, the IPL governing council floated a proposal, stating that CSK and RR can retain players who moved to Rising Pune Supergiant and Gujarat Lions for two years following a draft. For Dhoni and CSK fans, it means that MSD will don the yellow jersey once again.
Dhoni has been with the CSK ever since the beginning of the cash-rich tournament. The veteran batsman has also led them to two IPL titles, including 4 finals.
Following a two-year suspension, Rising Pune Supergiant roped in the wicket-keeper batsman during the 2016 edition of the IPL. Dhoni was also a pivotal part of the squad that led the team to the finals in 2017.
