Excitement surrounds among fans over MS Dhoni's retention

Cricket fans on social media expressed their delight after MS Dhoni the 43yearold legendary wicketkeeperbatter was retained for INR 4 crore by the Chennai Super Kings CSK on ThursdayFor the records barring 2016 and 2017 when he played for Rising Pune Supergiant when the Super Kings were going through a suspension period Dhoni hasnrsquot moved from CSKldquoWhat a super Diwali for Dhoni fans He will be there in IPL 2025 Great dedication to playrdquo one fan wrote Another fan said ldquoHero is back Legend Dhoni will rule againDhoni holds the record for playing most matches in the history of the IPL In 264 matches since his debut back in 2008 Dhoni has scored 5243 runs at an average of 3912 with a top score of 84 not out Apart from the IPL the veteran also led CSK to glory in the Champions League T20Earlier on Thursday CSK decided to exercise the infamous uncapped player rule to retain Dhoni as they also decided to keep hold of captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja for 18 crores Matheesha Pathirana for 13 and Shivam Dube for 12All the ten Indian Premier League franchises have announced their list of retained players ahead of the 2025 auction Notably three major captains Rishabh Pant KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer will be entering the auctionSpeaking recently at an event in Goa MS Dhoni said that professional sport makes it difficult for a player to enjoy the game The 43yearold said he now wants to savour the game for the next few years I just want to enjoy whatever last few years of cricket Im able to play like how during our childhood we used to go out and play at 4 pm just enjoying the game But with professional sport it becomes challenging to enjoy the game as just a game There are emotions and commitments but I want to enjoy it for the next few years Dhoni told ESPNcricinfoAlso ReadMI packs a paanchReflecting on his batting position in IPL 2024 MS Dhoni explained his straightforward approach mentioning that since others were performing well he didnt see the need to bat higher upMy thinking was simple if others are doing their job well theres no need for me to come up the order Last season with the T20 World Cup 2024 squad announcement coming up it was essential to give those fighting for a spot a chance In our team we had a few players like Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube who needed opportunities to prove themselves for the Indian team There was nothing in it for me no selection stakes So I was happy batting down the order and my team was content with my role he addedWith agency inputs