MS Dhoni was the captain of the Indian cricket team when Chennai Super Kings (CSK) signed him at the inaugural IPL auction. 16 years have passed, and Dhoni has established himself as an IPL legend, winning the championship five times as a captain.
While Dhoni has a legend status now, CSK reportedly want him to come under the uncapped player category for the next season. Chennai wants to bring back an old IPL rule, under which the player who has retired from international cricket for more than five years qualifies as an uncapped player.
This rule existed in the IPL from 2008 to 2021 but was removed in 2022. Here are three reasons why CSK bringing this rule back for MS Dhoni can prove to be a masterstroke.
1. CSK can retain MS Dhoni for less than 5 crore
The biggest benefit that Chennai can get is the maximization of auction purse. In 2022, the uncapped players could be retained for 4 crore. Hence, if there is a similar rule in 2025, Dhoni’s salary can come down from 12 to 4 crore, allowing Chennai extra 8 crore to sign other players at the auction.
2. No pressure on Dhoni to play all matches
Dhoni has to battle his fitness struggles to make himself available for all the matches. With the IPL season expected to become bigger in the coming years, it would be better if Dhoni can take rest in a couple of matches. If his price tag is low, he won’t be burdened by it, and thus, Dhoni can manage his workload in a better way.
3. Allows other retired players to make a comeback
There are several retired Indian cricketers who have played one or two matches, but since they qualify as capped players, they had to put their names in the category of 50 lakh, 1 crore or 2 crore at the auction. If this uncapped rule comes into play, the players who have not represented India in last five years can register for 20 lakh as well, thereby allowing more players to come back.
