Reuters

Mumbai, Feb 21: Mahendra Singh Dhoni's parents have urged him to forget about the cash from his bumper DLF Indian Premier League (IPL) contract and concentrate on cricket.

The Chennai franchisee of the money-spinning Twenty20 tournament lavished a Rs 6 crore per year ($1.5 million) contract on the dynamic wicketkeeper/batsman at a player auction in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Dhoni topped the bidding at the glitzy auction, which also saw Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds go as the second most expensive pick at Rs 5.4 crore ($1.35 million).

"He should keep his feet firmly on ground," Dhoni's father Pan Singh and mother Devki Devi told the Hindustan Times newspaper's website.

"It's no doubt a matter of pride but more than the monetary aspect, it is important that he lives up to the expectations of his fans, supporters and the country."

The teams will pay the winning bid to the player annually.

The contracts are for a three-year period and are guaranteed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Nearly all of the world's top players will participate in the 44-day league, which will feature 59 matches among eight franchisees. The tournament gets underway on April 18.