CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan spoke about if the franchise would be keen to retain MS Dhoni as an uncapped player ahead of IPL 2025 mega auction. It was learnt that CSK remained unsure if they want to use the newly introduced by the BCCI and IPL governing council or not. He said that the CSK franchise is yet to discuss the future course of action with Dhoni, who recently returned from his trip to the USA. The discussions over Dhoni’s future might take place in the coming week as the fans eagerly anticipate his return. The franchises have to submit their respective retention list by October 31st.
“We are not sure at this stage. We might not even use it for MS Dhoni. It’s still too early to comment on this because we haven’t had discussions with him,” Kasi Viswanathan told TOI. “Dhoni was in the US and we haven’t had discussions yet. Now I am travelling this week, so there is a possibility of some discussions in the coming week. So there could be some clarity then,” Kasi reinstated.
“We are hopeful of him playing but it’s a call Dhoni will himself make.”
Will MS Dhoni return for another season?
The fans were sent into frenzy when it was learnt that CSK could potentially retain Dhoni as an uncapped player for IPL 2025. As per the rule, any capped India cricketer, who hasn’t played international cricket in the preceding five years from the year of the upcoming season or doesn’t have a BCCI central contract, will classify as uncapped player.
The new uncapped player rule
“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. This will be applicable for Indian Players only,” said IPL in a media release.
The Indian Premier League Governing Council has brought back uncapped players rule for the next season. While unveiling the player regulations for the upcoming IPL 2025 on Saturday, October 28, the governing council revealed that they’re re-introducing the uncapped players rule which they scrapped in 2021.
