Former Indian batsman Aakash Chopra has opined that Chennai Super Kings should release its skipper MS Dhoni from the team if there is indeed a mega auction ahead of the upcoming edition of Indian Premier League.

Claiming that CSK will lose out on Rs 15 crore if the team were to retain MS Dhoni, Aakash Chopra suggested that CSK should send Dhoni back into the auction pool, and then use the Right To Match (RTM) card to buy him back. "I think CSK should release MS Dhoni going into the mega auction, if there is a mega auction then you will be with that player for three years. But will Dhoni stay with you for three years? I am not saying don't keep Dhoni, he will play the next IPL, but if you keep him as a retained player but you will have to pay Rs 15 crore. If Dhoni does not stay with you for three years and he plays just the 2021 season, you will get the Rs 15 crore back for the 2022 edition, but how will you find a player worth that Rs 15 crore? That's the advantage of a mega auction, you can create a big team if you have the money. If you release Dhoni for the mega auction, you can pick him with the right to match card and you can pick the right players by having the desired money in your kitty. You can pick Dhoni in the auction, from CSK point of view, if they release Dhoni and then pick him up in auction, it would be beneficial for them," Aakash Chopra stated in a video.

Australian batsman Shane Watson announced his retirement from all forms of cricket right after CSK's exit from IPL 2020. Chennai Super Kings, which struggled through the course of the tournament with a poor side to back it, is more in need of a mega auction than any other team currently. "CSK needs a mega auction, the side does not have many players that can be retained. If you want to make a team from the scratch, then are you willing to spend big bucks on the likes of Faf du Plessis and Ambati Rayudu? I don't think that CSK will look at the likes of Raina and Harbhajan if they are making a team from scratch," Aakash Chopra added.