Amid Sanju Samson's CSK Link, Ex-Teammate's Big Claim: 'MS Dhoni Definitely Won't Play...'

Will he, won’t he? That’s the question. In what would be a blockbuster deal, Sanju Samson is rumoured to be joining Chennai Super Kings. The India wicketkeeper-batter’s current IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals is reportedly locked in negotiations with CSK for a trade deal that could see Ravindra Jadeja move to the inaugural champions. However, the deal is currently stalled thanks to the involvement of a third player, an overseas cricketer. RR’s overall quota of overseas players is already full and to accommodate the third player (read Sam Curran), they will have to release one foreign player. Additionally, RR have a meagre purse of Rs 30 lakh whereas Curran was signed by CSK during the auctions for Rs 2.4 crore. MS Dhoni To Be Used As Impact Player? Should the hurdles be cleared and Samson is signed by CSK, it will also put a big question mark over the role of Dhoni who is said to be confirmed for the next season. Samson is a wicketkeeper-batter as is Dhoni whose role has been limited in the past few years. Will Dhoni then be used as an Impact Player? Subramaniam Badrinath, a former CSK batter, predicts Dhoni to feature as a wicketkeeper irrespective of whether Samson joins five-time IPL champions’ roster for the upcoming season. “MS Dhoni definitely won’t play as an impact player,” Badrinath told Star Sports. “I don’t think MS Dhoni will play as an impact player. If he plays, he will feature as a keeper. The main reason for Dhoni playing is he needs to be out there at the Chepauk. As an impact player, he might come out to bat only in the final two overs. We don’t know if he comes out to bat in that case. I don’t think that’s going to happen, that’s my observation, knowing CSK and Dhoni.” “He might not even play the full season but he will be there as a wicketkeeper, not sure as captain. But he will definitely be as a keeper on the field. He said he will be on the field to play. It will not happen that Dhoni is off the field and leaves someone like Sanju Samson to keep wickets. He will take this decision and speak to Sanju Samson,” he added. Badrinath argues that even though Dhoni is no longer CSK captain, he maintains a strong influence on the team. “That’s my understanding, I don’t think MS Dhoni is going to be an impact player at all. Either he is going to play or call it, ‘I’m done’. Look at these visuals, this is MS Dhoni, this is the value he carries, those small adjustments, some conversation with the bowlers. Even though Ruturaj Gaikwad is the captain, he still has some control over the proceedings. That’s where his value is,” Badrinath said.