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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fans can rejoice—legendary wicketkeeper-batter Mahendra Singh Dhoni is set to return for his remarkable 18th season in the Indian Premier League (IPL), as confirmed by CSK on Thursday.
Ever since the start of 2024, speculation has been rife about whether the beloved ‘Thala’ would grace the field once again. Dhoni’s fans can now look forward to seeing him captivate the crowd at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium.
The IPL governing council’s re-introduction of the 'uncapped player rule' enabled CSK to retain the 43-year-old uncapped player price of Rs 4 Crore, helping manage their auction budget of Rs 20 Crore.
As per the rule, any capped Indian player who hasn't played international cricket in the last five years or holds no current BCCI Central Contract is eligible for uncapped status.
Alongside Dhoni, CSK has also retained key players: Ruturaj Gaikwad at Rs 18 Crore, Matheesha Pathirana a Rs 13 Crore, Shivam Dube at Rs 12 Crore, and Ravindra Jadeja a Rs 18 Crore.
Dhoni, who has been with CSK since the IPL’s inception and led them to five titles (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023), will return to inspire the 'yellow army' once more!