Maybe it is best known for MS Dhoni, the legendary wicket-keeper batsman who arguably has emerged as one of the biggest poster boys in the history of IPL. Here is a man known for his calm head and acumen about cricket, who has taken CSK to numerous titles in IPL. This season was different though, as he was retained by CSK for a relatively modest sum of ₹12 crore for the 2024 IPL season. A thing of interest, though-that retention comes at a relatively low price: of ₹4 crore-that was what this capped player was retained for the 2025 season with, by virtue of a special retention clause.
Dhoni played a significant role in CSK’s success over the years, not only through his leadership qualities but also performances of utmost importance, especially under pressure. However, as there is a retention policy set up for IPL 2025, all those who haven’t represented India in international cricket over five years or haven’t held a BCCI central contract are on a different page. Dhoni was one of the players eligible for this special retention clause.
This helped CSK to retain Dhoni at a much lesser price of ₹4 crore for the season of IPL in 2025. He managed to do this for staying in the IPL to ensure that his franchise had financial flexibility. That again was a massive change in the salary of Dhoni in the IPL, and while it does tell us about the changing structure of the IPL retention process, where so many categories exist.
What is noteworthy is the fact that the retention price of MS Dhoni at ₹4 crore puts him into the category of the lowest-priced capped players retained in the IPL history. That not with standing, the retention price becomes much lower than what he draws this year at ₹12 crore, but it is an underlining of the rule and its bigger influence on the franchises and valuation of the players. This refreshes the perspective on the methods of finance management by IPL teams in relation to their squad building, factoring in international cricket activity and BCCI contracts.