IPL 2025: Franchise Owners Oppose Uncapped Category For Retired Players

The BCCI raised the topic while discussing broader criteria for uncapped players. A rule introduced before the inaugural IPL season in 2008 considered players retired from international cricket for over five years as uncapped. However, this rule was never utilized and was abolished three years ago. During the recent meeting, the suggestion to reintroduce this rule was met with resistance from multiple teams.

Sunrisers Hyderabad owner Kavya Maran was among those who opposed the proposal. She argued that allowing a retired cricketer to be classified as an uncapped player would be ‘disrespectful’ and could set a ‘wrong precedent’ if such a player received a higher salary than a genuine uncapped cricketer. Maran suggested that Dhoni, if he wishes to continue, should enter the auction like any other player, allowing team owners to determine his value.

The report also addressed rumors that Chennai’s push for this rule was motivated by a desire to retain Dhoni. These rumors were dismissed, noting that before the last mega auction in 2022, CSK retained Dhoni for Rs 12 crore, while Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was uncapped at that time, was retained for half that amount.

As for whether Dhoni will play in IPL 2025, the answer remains uncertain. After undergoing knee surgery last year, Dhoni handed over the captaincy to Gaikwad and is expected to take on a finisher’s role in IPL 2024. Dhoni has stated that he and CSK will await clarity on retention rules before deciding his participation in IPL 2025.