MI and CSK are the two teams that have the biggest fan base all over India and have had a core set of players that has remained pretty much the same over the years. As far as BCCI president N Srinivasan's franchise is concerned, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be retained along with Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Suresh Raina -- all India regulars.

The choice of foreign player will be between West Indies' Dwayne Bravo and South Africa's Faf du Plessis. Dhoni's fascination for seam-bowling all-rounders is widely documented and Bravo certainly will hold an edge over his South African rival, who has also caught the imagination with his big-hitting prowess.