Nod given for MS Dhoni to be retained as uncapped player

Former India captain MS Dhoni can be retained as an uncapped player by his franchise, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), according to the rules that have been put in place for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction, announced on September 28 (Saturday). This comes after the IPL decided to bring back the rule from 2008, where Indian players who had retired from international cricket at least five years before could go into the auction as uncapped players. However, the rule was never used and was scrapped in 2021, but the franchises were made aware that the rule had been revived. 

Dhoni, who played his last match for India in 2019 and officially retired in 2020, has played only in the IPL since then.

According to the release from the IPL, "A capped Indian player will become uncapped if the player has in the last five calendar years preceding the year in which the relevant Season is held, not played in the starting XI in International Cricket (Test match, ODI, Twenty20 International) or does not have a Central Contract with BCCI." 

In other updates, franchises can retain up to six players ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction, but the money will be deducted from their purse, which stands at INR 120 crore. The six players can be Indian or overseas, but at least one of them has to be uncapped. All six players can be retained ahead of the auction or by a combination of retention and RTM (Right to Match), or just via the RTM option.

According to a report on ESPNCricinfo, the value of the first three retentions will be INR 18 crore, INR 14 crore, and INR 11 crore. The next two will be INR 18 crore and INR 14 crore. As a result, INR 75 crore will be deducted from the INR 120 crore of the overall purse. As far as the uncapped player is concerned, he can be retained at INR 4 crore. Hence, the franchise could lose as much as INR 79 crore before entering the auction and could be left with just INR 41 crore.

Moreover, the IPL has also decided to keep the impact player rule intact despite many franchises opposing it, making this abundantly clear in the meeting between the BCCI and the IPL owners on July 31. Many argued that it was hurting the development of genuine all-rounders. However, the IPL believes that the impact player rule has increased the league's value from the viewers' point of view.

Another rule that has been introduced for the first time is on the consequence of a player who pulls out after being picked in the auction. If a player pulls out before the season, he will be barred from participating in the IPL for two years.

Earlier, BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced that each player in the XI, including the impact player, would get an additional fee of INR 7.5 lakh per match, which is in addition to his contracted amount. 

The date(s) for the IPL 2025 auction is yet to be announced. However, it is expected to be held sometime in December this year.   

If you’ve not downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out on our content — big time. Download the App here.