The IPL Governing Council recently sat in Bengaluru and decided on the status of the capped players. Here they ruled that any Indian capped player who has not featured in international cricket for the last five calendar years would be treated as an uncapped player. This decision has opened the doors to think of things in a different way of retention and recruitment strategies specially when referring to veteran players like MS Dhoni.
Delhi franchise team Chennai Super Kings (CSK) a well-run team with a rich history in the IPL and five-time winners is also going to benefit from this decision. They are going to make a call for retention of their beloved former skipper MS Dhoni as an uncapped player. This is in fact a backdoor re-introducing a rule that was made for the first time in 2008 but this was discarded in 2021. This is a crucial intervention by the Governing Council of IPL specially to the franchises that have banked upon experienced players. who have retired from international cricket without going through this process.
Official statement of the IPL claims that, “A capped Indian player shall cease to be classified as capped if he has in the five calendar years preceding the year. This applied new provision only for Indian players while opening the way for veteran players who could continue their participation in the league but this time under different classifications.
Dhoni had actually resigned from captaincy and had handed over the baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad before the start of IPL 2024 with knee surgery in 2023. In the past season he had a far more restricted role where he mostly came in to bat towards the end of the game as a late game hitter and that really shows his development in the player perception.
For the last two seasons there has been a lot of speculation about what may happen to Dhoni with the Indian Premier League. His playing status has been followed closely specially as he moves to a mentoring position for other junior members in the team. At a recent event, Dhoni said that he and CSK would wait for the finalization of the rule on player retention before doing anything with his career. This speaks volumes about the measured approach to the game he has always shown and his intent to stay in tune with the franchise thinking.
The return of the uncapped player rule will allow CSK to retain a connect with one player associated with the franchise identity and an integral part of its legacy. Dhoni is the first name that comes to mind whenever CSK is mentioned as he has made the franchise proud by winning maximum matches for the team besides grooming emerging talent in the team. There value for money specially during pressure situations in what he shares or offers from his experience.
The IPL has matured further and the equation between the experience of the players and the new talent has become more and more important. It is more about forming a balanced roster for the team now with a mix of experience and young guns. The ability to retain a player like Dhoni as an uncapped player might give strategic opportunities to CSK while keeping the engagement levels of fans pretty high.
MS Dhoni to have his last hurrah is 2025?
all speculation going on in the cricketing world with regard to the retirement of MS Dhoni from IPL since 2023 and on finally approaching the end of his career many fans lost hope that they would see him on the field again. In the final act of returning for the season of 2024 as some sort of gesture to repay the ardent love and support his fans had given him all through the past year Dhoni rejoined the team.
The excitement that people were bestowed with his return was such that everyone wished that this be the final season that would fulfill his glorious career. The season did not go as many had wished. CSK was facing tough times and eventually could not move forward in the league stages. CSK hopes were dashed marking an unceremonious exit for the team as it lost a key match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Dhoni, with whom CSK had struggled to part ways in the current season had a tough time taking the team over the line. Dhoni dismissed this time walked off the pitch and the frustration on his face told the tale of the moment.
Fans will have high hopes again with the return of the uncapped player rule. which would bring back Dhoni into the fray for one more season in the IPL. This is because the uncapped player rule applies when players haven’t featured in international cricket for five consecutive years. Many fans are for him and the cricket fraternity would love to see him bid adieu on a high note by tasting victory in another IPL trophy-a befitting finale to a career that has inspired so many young fans and aspiring cricketers.
All cricketing fans and even CSK fans would love to see Dhoni back for one last season. He is a great leader and has immense experience and an ability to play under pressure. which makes him one of the most respected people in the game. The storyline would resonate so well with those who loved his contributions all along should Dhoni take the field again for CSK guiding them towards probably another title.
Dhoni continues to be the biggest heir in the history of the IPL with every flow of the game. He has been instrumental in turning CSK into an unstoppable force, and he has been leading the team to many championships and laying down the foundation of resilience and excellence as their ethos. His presence has left marks, indelible ones not only on the franchise but on the league itself forging a hallmark of calm and cricketing acumen on the field.
BCCI said to bring back old IPL retention rule for Dhoni
Ever since MS Dhoni made the recent statements regarding his future in the IPL several reports emerged that CSK management has sent a formal request to BCCI for restoring an important ruling so that they can retain Dhoni as an uncapped player for the IPL 2025 mega auction. It has raised a storm among both fans and analysts as it may just be the perfect opportunity for Dhoni to carry on his galloping run in the league.
The last auction saw CSK retain Dhoni for a whopping ₹12 crore stating that he was worth it, but times have changed very much since. CSK has long leaned on Dhoni as the corner stone, and he stepped down for the capable Ruturaj Gaikwad to assume the mantle of captaincy that had given the franchise the opportunity to present a change of guard. Even in the field Dhoni role has changed.
he now comes in much later and works primarily like a late inning batsman and not as the towering presence he has been all through. It a rule of the IPL which provides that players who haven’t played any international cricket over a period of more than five years are considered as uncapped players.
This has been in the regulations of the IPL since its inception in 2008. where it was done away with in 2021 mainly because this had never been used. He would fit into this category since his last international match was the 2019 ODI World Cup. If CSK can retain him as an uncapped player, Dhoni would cost them a mere ₹4 crore. which is a huge saving over his retention price.
According to a recent report from News18, CSK have raised the issue of reinstating this retention rule during their meeting with the BCCI on July 31. Sources within the BCCI said the BCCI has a positive inclination toward the proposal. Factually there is a “bright possibility” of the rule being reinstated when the player regulations are released.
This optimism is welcome news for most of the CSK followers who hope to see Dhoni don the yellow jersey for one more season possibly leading the team to yet another IPL title. Not a player but the temperament the character and the presence, Dhoni is the CSK. He is one whose presence is more important to the IPL. It would be a perfect narrative for many if he retires on the field with the possibility of lifting another trophy under his arm.
The revocation of this rule will at the same time also serve as a broader tactic of the IPL. it will ensure the retention of hands already in the fray by allowing the franchises to retain players who have retired from international cricket. This increase that the competitive spirit of the league will not lose out while seasoned players like Dhoni continue to add to it in one capacity or another to raise its overall quality.
Apart from the psychological angle, it makes a lot of economic sense for the CSK franchise to retain Dhoni at ₹4 crore. This would enable them to save up on resources which might eventually go into developing a team and giving their side much-needed strengthening through investments in new talent or reinforcement of already needed areas. Flexibility on the economic scale is of real importance now mostly in a league where the costs of players escalate rapidly.
Dhoni with the team setup, even as an uncapped player, would be of immense worth for young players. He would guide them on the field and also shape the future of the franchise. Since CSK is trying to bring veteran players together with young budding talent Dhoni can actually shift towards mentoring and help form the next crop of cricketers.
The fact that discussions about Dhoni future and the possibility of re-legitimizing the rule again serve as a witness to growing awareness in the cricketing world regarding legacy players and receptiveness to modifying the rules and regulations of the league to adapt to the changing cricketing landscape and the careers of those playing.
