The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering reinstating a rule that classifies players who have been retired from international cricket for at least five years as uncapped when announcing the player regulations for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
This rule, which was initially established during the first IPL season, was discontinued in 2021 due to lack of use. However, it was brought up again during a meeting between IPL franchise owners and the BCCI last month, where Chennai Super Kings (CSK) management advocated for its return.
While CSK’s suggestion didn’t receive widespread support from other franchises during the July 31 meeting, the BCCI is reportedly giving serious consideration to reinstating the rule. If reintroduced, it would allow CSK to retain MS Dhoni as an uncapped player, thereby helping them preserve most of their capped core players.
“There is a bright possibility of the rule coming back. It was discussed at length during the meeting last month and could well be brought back when the player regulations are announced,” a well-placed source revealed.
Under the last retention policy, an uncapped player would cost a franchise only Rs 4 crore, which could enable Dhoni to continue playing for CSK without heavily impacting the team’s salary budget. For comparison, ahead of the 2022 mega auctions, CSK had retained Dhoni for Rs 12 crore.
Dhoni, who handed over the CSK captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad before the start of IPL 2024, played the entire season, scoring 161 runs at an impressive strike rate of 220.55. Although he typically batted in the final overs, he made a significant impact in the 73 deliveries he faced.
Speaking at an event in Hyderabad this month, the former CSK skipper addressed the possibility of playing in the IPL again, stating that he would wait for the player regulations before making a decision. “There is a lot of time for it. We have to see what decision they take on player retention etc. Right now, the ball is not in our court. So, once the rules and regulations get formalised, I will take a call, but needs to be in the best interest of the team,” Dhoni said.
The potential return of this rule has been a hot topic in recent weeks, with even R Ashwin weighing in on the matter. He noted that Dhoni is technically an uncapped player now, as he hasn’t played international cricket for many years. “Will Dhoni play as an uncapped player? That’s a big question mark. The point is correct. He hasn’t played international cricket for many years. He has retired. So, he is an uncapped player. He is not a capped player,” Ashwin commented on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin also raised the question of whether a player like Dhoni should be allowed to play as an uncapped player, adding, “Obviously, if someone talks about Dhoni, everyone will talk about it.”
The return of this rule would be a welcome development for both CSK and Dhoni fans, potentially allowing them to witness at least one more season of their beloved “Thala” in action.