Throwing some light on the conjecture regarding the future of two former Indian Premier League franchises, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, sources have revealed that both of them are set to be included into the IPL mix from next year. After the BCCI solves the fuss in relation to the broadcasting right for the following seasons of the IPL, the focus is expected to shift to these two defunct franchises. It is also said that the broadcasting rights will be sold for a period of five years. The same rights were sold for a period of 10 years in 2008.

Chennai Super Kings is by far the most successful IPL franchise. Having won the title in 2010 and 2011, the franchise was suspended for a period of two years by the Supreme Court following the spot-fixing scandal in 2013. Rajasthan Royals won the maiden season of the IPL in 2008 and were also suspended on the same grounds.

Sources also revealed that Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who led CSK for eight years, is expected to be playing again for them in 2018. It is also said that CSK has started to prepare for a grand comeback in the IPL extravaganza.

Easier said than done, a lot of interrogations still remain over the future of these two franchises. The biggest of them is that whether 10 teams will play in the next edition of the IPL, and if not, what will be the future of the newly formed franchises in Rising Pune Supergiant and Gujarat Lions?

Ahead of the next edition of the IPL, a mega-auction is most likely to take place. So how will MS Dhoni be exclusively available for Chennai Super Kings? Like all the players, he will also be put into the auction. If not, won’t Rising Pune Supergiant have the first to retain him? In the midst of all such queries, what exactly will happen, only time well!