Time To Get Excited! MS Dhoni Will Play In 2021 IPL Too As N. Srinivasan Quashes Retirement Talk

Former Indian captain MS Dhoni hasn't been part of the national side since the World Cup now, but there has been a lot of talk about his plans for the future.

There has been mounting speculation about Dhoni's future, but he has so far given nothing away. He is still hoping of making India's T20 World Cup squad, but has so far seen his path blocked by Rishabh Pant and the newly called Sanju Samson.

He might not be part of the Indian cricket team at the moment, but we are sure to see Dhoni in the Indian Premier League, not only this year but in 2021 as well. Yes, it has been confirmed by N. Srinivasan, former BCCI president and Managing Director of Indian Cements, that owns the Chennai Super Kings.

"People keep saying when will he... how long will he play, etc. He will play. I can assure you. He will play this year. Next year he will go (to) the auction; he will be retained. So there is no doubt in anybody's mind," Srinivasan said at an entrepreneurship event on Saturday.

Dhoni has been a part of CSK since the IPL's inaugural edition in 2008 and apart from the two seasons when the franchise was suspended, the wicket-keeper batsman has led the team admirably, guiding it to three title triumphs.

The 38-year-old was on Thursday dropped from the BCCI's list of centrally contracted players, raising fresh doubts on the future of the former India captain who has not played since the World Cup semifinal loss to New Zealand in July last year.

Dhoni also recently returned to training, batting fluently in the Jharkhand team nets. He was in the A category, which fetches a player Rs 5 crore as annual retainership, until last year.

The vice-president of the CSK Fans Association A R R Sriram was happy about Srinivasan's statement.

"We are pretty sure that MS will be retained. There is no CSK without Dhoni. We won't let him go into the auction pool," Sriram said.

J Sivakumar, an admirer of Dhoni and member of the fans club, echoed similar views and said the India Cements boss' words were music to his ears.

Dhoni's contract not being renewed was not exactly a surprise as he has not played a competitive game since that World Cup semifinal on July 9.

He has been on an sabbatical and has refused to divulge his future plans.

One of the biggest names in Indian cricket, Dhoni led India to two world titles - the 2007 World T20 in South Africa and the 2011 ODI World Cup at home.

The veteran has played 90 Tests, 350 ODIs and 98 T20 Internationals for India, accumulating over 17,000 runs and effecting a staggering 829 dismissals behind the stumps.