IPL 2025 Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Confirmed Right To Match (RTM) and Retained Players List

Cricket fans finally got the much awaited update on IPL 2025 player retention rules as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL Governing Council officially announced that each team would be allowed to retain 5 players that will cost them 75 crore from an updated 120 crore purse. It further adds that teams would be allowed to add an uncapped player as the 6th retention.

The retention rules further states that there is no restriction on number of Indian or overseas players that can be retained where teams can opt to retain either all 5 Indian or overseas players. The uncapped rule also adds that an Indian player who has not played international cricket or don’t have a central contract since last 5 years, will be count as uncapped player, in this case a prime example would be MS Dhoni.

Teams would be also allowed RTM cards to retain player on market price. Each team’s RTM card number will depend on the number of players they retain. Mentioned below are price for every retention slot.

• 1st Retention: 18 Crore
• 2nd Retention: 14 Crore
• 3rd Retention: 11 Crore
• 4th Retention: 18 Crore
• 5th Retention: 14 Crore

List of players CSK is likely to retain ahead of IPL 2025 Mega Auction

In this article, we will take a look at what are the likely retentions for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after rules have been announced. Chennai Super Kings finished 5th in the league phase of the IPL 2024 and missed out on the playoffs to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their last match of the league. Here are the likely retentions for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) before the IPL 2025 Mega Auction:

Ruturaj Gaikwad

It is confirm that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will retain their captain Ruturaj Gaikwad as the number 1 pick for 18 Crore INR. MS Dhoni who has the team’s biggest value player, asked the CSK management to retain Jadeja ahead of him the last time in mega auction and is going to be same case here. However, Gaikwad has overtaken Jadeja in the pecking-order and as the captain of the team, Ruturaj Gaikwad is set to get the number one retention.

Ruturaj Gaikwad has been consistently scoring runs ever since making his debut in 2020. In the IPL 2024, Gaikwad scored 583 runs with a strike rate of 141.16 and an average of 53.00 in 14 matches. Prior to that, Gaikwad scored 590 runs in 2023, 368 runs in 2022 and his career best 635 runs in 2021.

Ravindra Jadeja

Despite falling down the pecking-order, Ravindra Jadeja is still likely to be retained by CSK unless something drastic happens. Jadeja is likely to be retained in 2nd slot with 14 crore salary. Jadeja has been with the team since 2012, joining from now defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala.

In the most recent season, while the left-arm orthodox all-rounder scored 267 runs in 11 innings with a strike rate of 142.78 and average of 44.50, he only managed 8 wickets from 14 matches. Jadeja has been delivering for the team consistently ever since joining, also becoming a key figure in the Indian team.

Matheesha Pathirana

Sri Lanka’s rising star pace bowler Matheesha Pathirana is likely to get the 3rd slot with 11 Crore INR salary. Pathirana, also known as Baby Malinga, is a big a hope for the Sri Lanka cricket team and is hailed as the successor of legendary pacer Lasith Malinga. Pathirana has got off to a great start in his IPL career since joining CSK in 2022 just after the U19 World Cup that year.

Although he played 2 matches and took 2 wickets in 2022 season, Pathirana displayed his real qualities in IPL 2023 when he picked 19 wickets in 12 matches. He didn’t play many matches in IPL 2024 but still bagged home 12 wickets in 6 matches. CSK might not want to take any risk of letting him go to the auction as he could easily be worth more than 15 crore and a number of teams will be after the Sri Lankan pacer.

MS Dhoni

You might not have expected the 5-times IPL champion MS Dhoni’s name so far down the order. But, Chennai Super Kings, almost confirm that they will be retaining MS Dhoni as an uncapped player. According to new rules, any player who has not played international cricket for last 5 year or don’t have central contract for the same duration, will be considered as uncapped and MS Dhoni very much fulfills the same.

MS Dhoni last played an international match in 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, thus he now meets the criteria and qualifies as an uncapped player. CSK will retain MS Dhoni as an uncapped player for just 4 Crore INR. MS Dhoni himself has been in the favour of making sure the deserving players get more money than him with a higher retention slot.

Shivam Dube (RTM Card)

Shivam Dube, the 31-years-old all-rounder, has found a different rhythm ever since joining the yellow army. Since joining CSK in IPL 2022, he has been a key player for the yellow army. However, Dube is unlikely to be retained as CSK unlikely to want to retain him in 18 crore or 14 crore slot, but instead would prefer to buy him back in the Mega Auction using the RTM (Right To Match) Card for market price.

Dube scored 396 runs in 14 matches in IPL 2024 and had a staggering strike rate of 162.30 and average of 36.00. He got a call back into the Indian team after his terrific season. He previously scored 418 runs in 2023 and 289 runs in IPL 2022, his first season with CSK team in his 3-years stint.

Tushar Deshpande (RTM Card)

Although Tushar Deshpande has been the Chennai Super Kings’ best Indian pace bowler in the IPL, taking a total of 38 wickets in last 2 seasons which earned him a call to Indian team, he is unlikely to be retained and CSK would rather prefer to use RTM Card on the 29-years-old pacer to buy him for his market value.

Tushar Deshpande has been the team’s best Indian pacer while Deepak Chahar has been suffering from injury and has been at his low recently. Deshpande played only 2 matches in his debut season for CSK in 2022. But he made his presence felt in 2023 when he bagged 21 wickets and followed it up with 17 wickets in IPL 2024 season.

Players unlikely to be retained

Despite failing to make the IPL 2024 playoffs, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had a great unit of players under their disposal. However, due to how the IPL 2025 retention rule has been setup, CSK and other teams might prefer to retain only 3 key players and uncapped players give themselves some cash to play with in the IPL 2025 Mega Auction.

Some of the key names who are unlikely to be retained by CSK are mentioned below. CSK might still look to buy back these players while some faces might not retain to the team for 2025 season.

Mustafizur Rahman is a great medium pace bowler and did an excellent job for the yellow army. However, CSK is unlikely to retain him for a high price and CSK might want to explore better opportunity in the auction or look buy back the Bangladeshi pacer.

It wasn’t the best of season for Daryl Mitchell in his debut season for CSK and the yellow army is set to release the Kiwi all-rounder. But, CSK might be keeping a close eye on Kiwi and if available for bargain deal, CSK might jump in.

Although new signing Rachin Ravindra started the season with a bang, his performance diminished as the season progressed. and Moeen Ali also falls in the same category and why all three players is set to be released by CSK.

FAQ

How many players can be retained in IPL 2025?

As the BCCI announced, an IPL franchise can retain a maximum of 6 players, of which a maximum of 5 can be capped players and a maximum of 2 uncapped players.

Can MS Dhoni play IPL 2025?

Yes, MS Dhoni can play IPL 2025 if he wishes to. Dhoni could feature for CSK in IPL 2025 as uncapped wicketkeeper batter.

Who will CSK retain in IPL 2025?

CSK is set to retain captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Matheesha Pathirana and MS Dhoni.

How many RTM cards are in IPL 2025?

According to BCCI’s latest IPL regulations, an IPL franchise can retain a maximum 6 players either directly or by RTM cards. That means, if a team opts retain zero players before mega auction, that team can use 6 RTM cards in the auction and if a team retain 6 players before auction, they won’t have any RTM card in the auction.

Did MS Dhoni always play for CSK?

Technically yes, MS Dhoni was bought by CSK in IPL 2008 Auction and has been with the team since their first season till today. However, CSK was banned from IPL in 2016 and 2017 that’s when MS Dhoni played for Rising Pune Supergiant, the team that replaced CSK.