MS Dhoni invited to play for London Spirit in The Hundred by head coach Shane Warne

Dhoni revealed on Saturday that he is calling time on a glittering career which brought him more than 17,000 runs and 800 dismissals across cricket's three formats

Shane Warne has extended a public invitation to MS Dhoni to play in The Hundred next year, following the India great's retirement from international cricket.

Dhoni revealed on Saturday that he is calling time on a glittering career which brought him more than 17,000 runs and 800 dismissals across cricket's three formats.

No longer being available for selection for India could, in theory, give Dhoni leeway to play in franchise cricket overseas - though the BCCI's view on such an action would unlikely be accommodating. 

Meanwhile, there has yet to be an announcement by the ECB with regards to the status of the draft for the abandoned 2020 version of the tournament - those selected for the eight new franchises in October 2019 are keen for the result of that draft to stand for 2021.

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That did not stop Warne - the head coach of London Spirit, the team based at Lord's and incorporating Middlesex, Essex and Northamptonshire - from making his pitch to the former India captain on Sky Sports.

Warne said: "MS, if you would like to continue to play outside of the IPL, would you like to come and play at the London Spirit at Lord's next year in The Hundred?"

It is unclear whether, even if both Dhoni was interested and the draft was redone, the top salary bracket - initially £125,000 but set to fall to £100,000 in 2021 as budgets are tightened as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic - would entice the wicketkeeper batsman.

"If I was MS Dhoni, I'd be asking you how much budget you have," Wasim Akram pointed out to Warne on Sky.