Rahul Tripathi and MS Dhoni. (Photo Source: Twitter/X)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni had provided a green signal to the management for yet another season with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and he was retained ahead of the Indian Premier League 2025 mega auctions. He was retained as the uncapped played with a salary of just four crore rupees. The former captain was in visible pain since the last two seasons and his knee injury seems to come back with excess of workload.
With this hurdle in their way, CSK management could be eying a backup wicketkeeper for the team going ahead. As it is understandable for any cricketer that a wicketkeeper’s responsibility is the toughest job physically. So, the CSK might have hinted their backup options if looked at their auction buys. Also, with the Impact Player rule in place, it is very much a possibility for CSK to play Dhoni as a substitute to maximize his abilities. Hence, CSK might need backup athletes to don the gloves in the 43-year-old’s place.
Here are 3 such potential replacements of MS Dhoni:
3. Vansh Bedi
Vansh Bedi could be another option for the five time champions. The 21-year-old has not played much cricket and is only 16 T20 games old in the domestic circuit. He has score 390 runs at an average of 32.22 and a strike rate of 149.48 with the highest score of 96 runs.
Speaking of his wicketkeeping abilities, he has two catches and one stumping to his name. If MS Dhoni decides to hang around for a while as a player in the CSK dressing room, Bedi could well be polished well by the legendary stumper-batter.
2. Devon Conway
There is no doubt that the New Zealand opener has become an asset for the team over the years. His knock in the final of IPL 2023 was testament to his ability to provide solid starts for the team. He had to miss the IPL 2024 due to a thumb injury and was released ahead of IPL 2025 auctions. But the management bought him back at the mega auctions.
Apart from his prolific batting, he is also a handy wicketkeeping option. He has proven his mettle by keeping for the Kiwis. Conway could be a long-term option, looking at he will be retained in the coming three years. He has kept wickets in 34 matches in his career and has orchestrated 31 wickets from behind the stumps, which includes 25 catches and six stumping dismissals.
1. Rahul Tripathi
Rahul Tripathi has been underutilised as wicketkeeper over the years. He has always played in a team where there is a preferred wicketkeeper, and he has always been a backup option. The same has been the case with his batting as he was always looked as the batter who could accelerate the runs in the middle also anchor the innings.
CSK might have cited this ability of the right-handed batter. As soon as Sunrisers Hyderabad released, they pounced to assume his services. He has also the experience of playing five T20 Internationals for the Indian team and 94 IPL games in his career. The 33-year-old has also scored 2227 IPL runs in his career.