In the uncapped player category, CSK will be able to keep MS Dhoni for a significantly lower fee thanks to the previous retention rule.
When the player regulations are announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) prior to the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL), it is expected that the rule that places players who have retired from international cricket for at least five years into the uncapped category will be reinstated.
Since it was never used, the rule—which had been in effect since the inaugural season—was abandoned in 2021. When the BCCI and IPL team owners met last month, the regulation was once again discussed, and the management of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) pushed for its reinstatement.
While it is acknowledged that other teams did not offer much support to CSK’s proposal on July 31, the Indian cricket board is seriously considering bringing it back. Should the rule be reinstated, CSK would be able to keep the majority of their capped core and MS Dhoni as an uncapped player.
“There’s a good chance the regulation will return. According to a reliable source, it was thoroughly discussed at the meeting last month and might come up again when the player regulations are revealed.
A franchise would only need to pay Rs 4 crore for an uncapped player under the previous retention policy. Dhoni might be able to play for CSK going forward without breaking the bank thanks to this Prior to the massive auctions in 2022, CSK paid Rs 12 crore to keep Dhoni.
Before the 2024 Indian Premier League season began, Dhoni gave Ruturaj Gaikwad the captaincy of CSK, and he played the entire season, amassing 161 runs at a strike-rate of 220.55. He was usually the first to bat when there were few deliveries remaining, but in the 73 deliveries he faced, he had a significant influence.
The former captain of CSK talked about participating in the IPL this month at an event in Hyderabad, saying he would wait to answer the phone until he saw the player regulations.
“There’s plenty of time to do it. We need to watch what choices they make about player retention, etc. The ball is not in our court right now. I will thus answer the phone after the norms and regulations are formalized. Dhoni had previously stated, “I will answer a call, but it must be in the team’s best interest.
For a few weeks now, the rule has been the talk of the town, and R Ashwin believes that the former captain of India is no longer capped.
Will Dhoni be allowed to play without a cap? That raises a lot of questions. It’s a valid point. It has been a long time since he played cricket for a living. He’s no longer employed. He is an uncapped player, therefore. On his official YouTube channel, Ashwin stated, “He is not a capped player.”
Can a player such as Virat Kohli play without restrictions? That is a topic for another discussion. The off-spinner continued, “Obviously, if someone talks about Dhoni, everyone will talk about it.
Fans of CSK and Dhoni will be happy to hear that the rule is back, since it means they may get to watch their Thala play for at least another season.