Will Dhoni be back at CSK in next year's IPL?

Set to make a comeback next season after serving a two-year ban Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals may be allowed to retain players who played for Rising Pune Supergiants and Gujarat Lions in the last two years, going by a proposal floated by the Indian Premier League's Governing Council.

The move, if agreed upon by franchises during next month's workshop, will pave the way for Mahendra Singh Dhoni's much-anticipated return to Chennai Super Kings.

"We are going to propose minimum three retentions -- one Indian and two foreigners.

"The players who played for Pune and Gujarat in last two years can be retained by Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. We will place it in front of owners during workshop next month," an IPL GC member said, after the meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The proposal, if accepted, will mean that Dhoni, who played for Pune Supergiants in the last two editions, will be automatically retained by CSK. Ditto for Suresh Raina or Ravindra Jadeja, who played for Gujarat Lions.

When IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla was contacted, he said the total retentions, including Right To Match (RTM), could be anything between three to five, depending upon what the majority of the franchises agree to.

It is also learnt that a majority of the franchises want an increase in the salary purse, from Rs 60 cr to Rs 75 crore, while a few want it to be Rs 80 crore.

"Most of the franchises want the salary purse to Rs 75 crore. I guess it would be done," the official said.

Image: Mahendra Singh Dhoni in action for Chennai Super Kings.

Photograph: BCCI