MS Dhoni was an integral part of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the first eight editions of the Indian Premier League (IPL). But his stay with CSK was cut short as the franchise was suspended for two years, and new team Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) picked him in the players draft.
Now, two years down the line, his future lies uncertain. His last employers, RPS are no longer a part of the IPL, and his first team, CSK are back in the cash-rich league.
Which team will Dhoni represent in IPL 2018?
No one has the answer as of now.
The IPL Governing Council has to meet and decide about the fate of the players from two new teams of the last two seasons, RPS and Gujarat Lions (GL). It remains to be seen if they will be involved in a players draft ahead of the auction or will they all be a part of the grand auction? However, all teams are set to undergo massive changes in their squad for next season.
Irrespective of what happens, Dhoni, who is known for his leadership skills, will be in high demand, especially if his name is thrown in the mega auction.
CSK, for obvious reasons, will be one of the big teams to sign the player. However, it is not going to be a cakewalk for CSK.
Former India off-spinner, Nikhil Chopra feels many teams will be vying for his signature, which is definitely not a good sign for CSK.
"Dhoni will be in the top 5 most sought after players in the IPL. He has leadership qualities that speak for himself and he is a match winner for any team. Without a doubt a lot of teams will go after Dhoni as he is a leader. Specially in IPL the bulk of most teams have Indian players so you need that Indian leader and lot of teams will go after him," "India Today" TV quoted Nikhil as saying.
CSK will face some stiff competition for Dhoni's signature. They may break their bank to land Dhoni but other teams will have similar plans and match their bid too.
