Chennai has adopted me, so can't think of any other team than CSK: Dhoni

Bengaluru, January 19: Perhaps, Mahendra Singh Dhoni is more popular in Chennai than in his native Ranchi. The Dhoni-Chennai connection is evident from the way Chennaites address him - Thala (Chief).

So, it was not surprising to listen to Dhoni saying that he never thought twice before returning to Chennai Super Kings for the upcoming Indian Premier League.

The Chennai outfit will mark its comeback to IPL fold this year after a two-year absence owing to a ban by the BCCI for the alleged involvement of some of the officials in betting.

"You know, I can't think (of) not coming to CSK," said Dhoni at the launch of the Veedu Kattu, Whistle Podu! consumer initiative of The India Cements Limited, sponsors of the Chennai Super Kings.

"A lot of people approached me, I can tell you that. I always keep saying, it's (Chennai) like a second home for me, the fans over here literally adopted me, accept me as one of their own... there can't be a bigger compliment than that," Dhoni said.

The Chennai franchise retained talisman Dhoni, Suresh Raina, who remains the highest run-getter for the Lions, and Ravindra Jadeja ahead of the 2018 Player auction.

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— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) January 19, 2018

Speaking about the upcoming auction, Dhoni said, "The uphill task starts again. You know, (about) who we will get in the auctions. We'll try to get some of the players who have played for us. But this is the time where we can't get too emotional about the fact because a lot of other franchises want players who have played for CSK.

"Whether we will get a lot of players who have played for us or not, the auction will say. But what we have been really good at is we have always made sure that the players who have been a part of CSK, they come and they perform to the potential they have got.

"There are a lot of players who have played for some of the other franchises but, somehow, they did not perform to the potential they have got but when they came to CSK, for whatever reasons, they gave their best and performed well on the field," said Dhoni.