Rishabh Pant To Replace MS Dhoni From IPL 2025? CSK Eyes Mouth-watering Deal

For a long time, the desire of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has been to find a replacement for their brand and the former captain of the side, MS Dhoni, who is inching toward the end of his career in the game and is going to take part of one or two seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The name of Rishabh Pant has been coming into the discussion of the Super Kings management for a long time, as the reports have also claimed that the meeting they had with the wicket-keeper batter of the Indian team. The left-handed batter is set to part ways with the 2020 runners-up and could be under the attention of a few of the teams during the mega auction of the event.

MS Dhoni, who hasn’t played international cricket for nearly five years since the last encounter coming in the semifinal of the 2019 World Cup against New Zealand, is set to be given the uncapped player tag for the 18th season of the 20-over competition and will be retained for a price of only INR 4 crores.

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Despite of the former World Cup-winning captain of the Blue Brigade featuring in this edition of the tournament isn’t expected to go beyond the next couple of seasons of the competition. They have also kept their captain and young opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad, the premier spin all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, and the Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana as the other retained players.

Rishabh Pant to earn the fame and place of MS Dhoni for CSK in future

When it comes to the CSK team, MS Dhoni is the pure soul and brand of the franchise, leading them to five titles in the tournament history, with the last one coming in the 2023 season of the event. The wicket-keeper batter is the second leading run-getter of the team with the help of 5118 runs in 225 innings at an average of 39.06 and a strike rate of nearly 140, shouldering on 23 half-centuries at a best score of unbeaten 84 runs.

Rishabh made his appearance at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai during the opening of the two-match Test series against Bangladesh and smashed a second-inning century to soak the applause of the spectators.

In the last season of the tournament, the Super Kings mainly looked to go hard in the middle order of the batting department, thanks to the contribution of Shivam Dube and others. Now, if Pant, who has smacked 3284 runs in the IPL at a strike rate of around 150, joins the Yellow Army, then they will be superpowered with the inclusion.

The franchise, however, is aware that if the wicket-keeper comes into the auction pool, then they have to keep a huge chunk of their purse for him, maybe in excess of INR 20 crore. But will it be possible having backed all of their core players from the previous season?

MS Dhoni didn’t bat up the order for the entire 2024 season, as he fetched 161 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of over 220 with the best score of unbeaten 37 runs. He has given most of the other players chances to showcase their quality and talent with the bat.

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In that case, if CSK wants to save the money for Pant in the mega auction of the IPL, then they can think of retaining lesser players and keep the RTM card for Jadeja, who has retired from T20Is as his shortcomings in the format are known to all.

The aim for the Super Kings is to get a face for the franchise in the future. MS Dhoni has done the job for a long time, and it’s high time for someone to replace him, and they are keeping the cards in hand.