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Finally! MS Dhoni opens up about CSK’s match fixing controversy

Under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Chennai had won two Indian Premier League titles.

Finally! MS Dhoni opens up about CSK’s match fixing controversy

MS Dhoni (Photo Credit- Twitter)

The Chennai Super Kings along with Rajasthan Royals is back with a bang in the Indian Premier League after two years of suspension. Using their right to retain card, the team had retained their skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni along with star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and Suresh Raina.

Ahead of the mega IPL auction, the Ranchi-lad revealed the team’s strategy. The IPL auction will take place on 27 and 28 January in Bangalore.

“As far as the composition of the team, we retained three players — a keeper, two batsmen who can bowl. A lot of areas are covered when it comes to the top order. We don’t have to go for left-handers. If the need arises, we may go for. Who we will get in the auction…that becomes slightly tough to say as of now. If we are looking for a few players, a lot of others are also looking for the same,” MS Dhoni said while interacting with the media.

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While praising their former players, Dhoni said, that the former CSK players will be targeted by other teams. However, the team will try their best to bring back the core team. The former skipper also hinted that they would not bring back their players by overpaying.

“In the past what we have seen is a lot of players who were part of the CSK, they get targeted very strongly. We may have to keep the emotions aside. We may want somebody but if his price goes outside our range, we have to let him go. That is the adaptability factor that we need to have at the auction table. Whoever we will get, they perform to the potential they have got,” Dhoni added.

After retaining three players, CSK still holds two right-to-match cards. So when Dhoni was asked for whom they are going to use this card, he said, “With Ashwin, we had done the same thing in the past. We will definitely go for him in the auction but it is not only him but other players that we want. Ashwin being local, we want him. We want locals to be a part of CSK. We have Bravo, Faf du Plessis, Brendon McCullum. We have two right to match cards but when and where we can use..we will have to see. With Ashwin, I don’t think we can use the right to match because we already have three Indian players. We have to buy him out in the auction. We don’t know till what margins we can go to get him. There is no fixed price on someone. Ashwin will come first in the auction but as I said I will have to wait and watch but we will try to get him in the auction. At an auction, it’s the price that dictates term and how much money we can afford to go for each individual and make a strong team will be the key factor.”

For the first time, former Indian skipper MS Dhoni talked about fixing saga. Dhoni said that the sentiments of the team were hurt, however, the brand image of CSK has not been not damaged with the fixing fiasco.

“The last two years that we have not played, our fan following got stronger and stronger because none of the players were involved with anything. Yes, often when there is some mistake committed, people bear the brunt. The team had to bear the brunt of whatever happened but the players were clear of all the controversies. We are back to cricket and the fact that we sold off everything (whatever the endorsement brackets were there) even before the retainership was announced….that proves that they believe in CSK as a franchise and the kind of cricket we play. So it (IPL controversy) has not affected us in any way. Yes, it did hurt us because we were not part of IPL for two seasons,” MS Dhoni added.

When the wicket-keeper batsman of India was asked whether he was approached by any other IPL team he confessed, “A lot of people approached me. I can’t think of not coming back to CSK. As I said, it’s because of everything that we have been through, how we have conducted ourselves, how the management, players and fans have been. It is a second home to me. The fans over here have adopted me. They accept me as one of their own. There can’t be any bigger compliment than that. This is a special place and the thought of being with any other franchise was never a question.”

Under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Chennai had won two Indian Premier League titles.

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