Former India opener Aakash Chopra believes that the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will retain MS Dhoni before the IPL 2022 auction even though he might not play for three more years. However, Dhoni has been associated with CSK since the beginning of the IPL, apart from the two years when the franchise was banned from the league.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said: “One thought is that you do not retain MS Dhoni. But CSK without MS Dhoni is like a body without a soul. I feel he will play one more year. There are a lot of speculations if the current one is his last IPL, I feel he has got one more IPL left in him. Even though he is not a 3-year investment, CSK will not think about that and will retain him as their first retention.”

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He also feels that Ravindra Jadeja will be the second player whom they will retain unless the all-rounder himself wants to move out as well. Chopra explained: “The second retention, unless Jaddu says he wants to go, he would know by then if a Gujarat team is there and he wants to go there and become the captain. If that happens then it is different, else Jaddu will be the second retention.”

On the other hand, Ahmedabad is one of the frontrunners to be the new franchise that will be added ahead of IPL 2022 and Jadeja might be one of the players to captain that team as well, considering the fact that it will be his home state. Aakash Chopra also named Suresh Raina and Deepak Chahar are the two players CSK could retain as well.

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He observed: “In my opinion, this team will use two ‘Right to Match’ cards. One will be on Deepak Chahar, you will definitely want to retain him, and you can use the RTM card on Suresh Raina. Whom all they will have to let go – Moeen Ali, Dwayne Bravo, Faf du Plessis, Sam Curran. They can buy them in the auction if possible but you will not be able to retain them with the RTM card.”