'This Rule Is...': MS Dhoni's Everlasting Keeping Contender Opens Up After IPL's Favour On CSK
MS Dhoni during IPL 2024 [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/X.com]
The IPL Governing Council released the retention rules and regulations ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction. A major announcement was the return of the uncapped player rule, which has sparked significant discussion, especially concerning MS Dhoni.
What Is the Uncapped Player Rule?
Among the various changes, one of the most notable updates is the designation of players who haven’t played international cricket for five years as "uncapped." According to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Indian players who have not represented India in international matches for at least five calendar years will be considered uncapped.
The retention rule is important because it allow teams to keep uncapped players at a reduced price. Despite retiring from international cricket in 2020, MS Dhoni last played for India in 2019, which makes him eligible under this new policy. This could potentially give Chennai Super Kings (CSK) a strategic advantage in the upcoming season.
Former Indian wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik, who didn't get much chance and was excluded from India’s plan due to MS Dhoni, has fully endorsed the IPL Governing Council’s decision, especially as it pertains to Dhoni. In a recent interview, Karthik mentioned that this rule seems almost tailor-made for one player: MS Dhoni.
“Everybody talks about it. This rule is made for one man and I am for it through and through. This man has been such a major part of what this IPL has been about. If everybody is in a happy place - be it BCCI, be it any of the teams, be it how the league has performed over the years and how it has kept players so happy over the last 15-18 years, this man has played a major role," Karthik stated.
How Much MS Dhoni Will Get As An Uncapped Player?
While Dhoni had hinted that the 2024 IPL season might be his last, he hasn't officially retired from the IPL. If CSK decides to retain him using the uncapped player rule, the retention cost would be 4 crore, significantly less than the Rs 12 crore Dhoni was paid in 2022.
This decision could potentially allow Chennai Super Kings to retain Dhoni for the upcoming season, bringing relief to his huge fan base.