With the decks cleared for the Chennai Super Kings to retain legendary MS Dhoni for another season as BCCI reinstated the ‘Uncapped Player’ rule for the league, the confirmation from the former skipper is yet to be confirmed.
According to some reports, MS Dhoni’s participation in the upcoming season will be confirmed after Dhoni reports set to meet the officials of the franchise this month.
With concerns about growing his participation in the IPL, Dhoni revealed that it would be entirely dependent on the retention rules set by the IPL council.
“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,” he said.
Previously, BCCI has brought back the ‘uncapped player’ rule after being scrapped in 2021. According to the rule which is only applicable to Indian players, “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, ODI, T20I) or does not have a Central Contract with BCCI.”
As Dhoni announced his retirement in 2019, he’ll be eligible to play in the IPL by the ‘Uncapped rule’. If Dhoni does participate, he can be retained for a price of INR 4 crore.
IS The Uncapped Player Rule in IPL 2024 Auction Only For MS Dhoni?
The status of the uncapped players is highlighted by the case of Dhoni. If retained by CSK, his price will be as low as INR 4 crore. His strategic acumen and fame assert that despite his uncapped status, the team will go for him at any price.
However, the rule isn’t exclusive to Dhoni. It will be applicable to all players, especially those retiring from international cricket yet fit for IPL. Players like Piyush Chawla and Amit Mishra have been out of the Indian team for years but continue to excel in the IPL.
The Uncapped Players rule underscores the BCCI‘s commitment to players who maintain their passion and fitness for the game even after their international retirement.
The rule change reflects on shift towards valuing commitment, longevity and strategy acumen in players.
