Bye-bye Suresh Raina? CSK may retain MS Dhoni, R Ashwin, Faf du Plessis for IPL 2018

Mumbai: Come April and the city of Chennai will be buzzing as the Chennai Super Kings will play their first game in the Indian Premier League after a gap of two years. The two-time IPL winners, who completed two-year suspension along with Rajasthan Royals, were suspended from the tournament following the IPL spot-fixing saga that rocked the cash-rich tournament in 2013.

The CSK fans displayed a teaser of what’s going to happen when the team takes field during the inaugural ceremony of the second edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League this year. MS Dhoni, along with former CSK players Matthew Hayden, Subramaniam Badrinath, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Pawan Negi and Mohit Sharma wowed the audience in a six-hitting competition.

While Dhoni, in a cryptic Instagram post, dropped a hint about his chances of rekindling the CSK association, it is now reported the Chennai-based franchise will retain ace Indian off-spinner R Ashwin and South African skipper Faf du Plessis too.

What it means that Suresh Raina – a pivotal part in CSK side under Dhoni – who is not finding a place in the Virat Kohli-led Indian side following failing to pass the Yo-Yo Test and struggling for form, may not be retained by the IPL side.

According to Dinathanthi, a Tamil daily, the Chennai Super Kings team management has made up its mind and will retain Dhoni, Ashwin and du Plessis meaning Raina, who played for the Men in Yellow for eight seasons, won’t be retained.

However, the team has denied the news, terming it as a rumour, The CSK Twitter handle on Tuesday, said, ''Lots of rumours online about not retaining #ChinnaThala. Don't Believe! We want to bring the pride back together. A roaring #SummerIsComing #WhistlePodu 🦁ðŸ'›"

In October this year, the IPL governing council floated a proposal, stating that CSK and RR can retain players who moved to Rising Pune Supergiant and Gujarat Lions for two years following a draft. For Dhoni and CSK fans, it means that MSD will don the yellow jersey once again.

"We are going to propose minimum 3 retentions 1 Indian and 2 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 infront of owners during workshop next month," an IPL GC member told PTI after the meeting.