Chennai Super Kings owner N. Srinivasan has recalled an interesting incident about Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The wicket-keeper batter’s name has become synonymous with the Chennai Super Kings franchise. He is one of the most loved cricketers in the city. His association with the franchise goes back to the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League 2022 season.
MS Dhoni has led the team to four Indian Premier League titles, making it one of the most successful franchises in the world. To describe Dhoni’s love for the Chennai Super Kings, the owner of the franchise, N. Srinivasan, highlighted the former India cricketer’s passion for Motorbikes.
Srinivasan recalled an incident when the franchise gifted him a motorbike. Speaking to the Sportstar, he expressed that MS Dhoni used to ride the bike all around the town. Srinivasan said,
“We gave him (Dhoni) a motorbike because he likes motorbikes. He took it and disappeared. He rode all around the town. One of the reasons that he grew on Chennai and Chennai grew on him is the fact that whenever there was a match, you would suddenly turn around and see Dhoni on a bike next to you. He has traveled the length and breadth of this city on his motorbike, which in its own way, endeared him to the people of this city.”
N Srinivasan explains how the CSK franchise managed to buy MS Dhoni in 2008 IPL Auctions
MS Dhoni was signed by the Chennai Super Kings for a whopping sum of $ 1.5 million at the IPL 2008 auction. They managed to outbid the Mumbai Indians to acquire the services of the wicket-keeper batter. Since then, Dhoni has played for the Chennai Super Kings in all the IPL seasons, except the two when the franchise was banned.
Recalling the bidding that took place for MS Dhoni at the 2008 IPL auctions, N Srinivasan said to the Sportstar,
“Suddenly, Mumbai was bidding up to 1.5 million for Dhoni. Then they realized that they have to give the icon player 10 percent [15 percent] more than what they give the most expensive player. They said 3.5 million, everything gone, and they collapsed. And that is how MS Dhoni came to Chennai. It was 100 percent arithmetic. No other reason why we got him [Dhoni]. The anxiety to get their (other franchises) favorite player was greater than their arithmetic.”
MS Dhoni was retained by the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2022 auctions for INR 12 crores. He led the team in the season after Ravindra Jadeja stepped down from the captaincy post. Chennai Super Kings finished in the bottom two on the points table with just four wins.
MS Dhoni scored 232 runs at an average of 33.14 and a strike rate of 123.40 in the season. The former India skipper has indicated that he will be a part of the Chennai Super Kings in the next Indian Premier League season.
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