(Sportzpics)
Veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently stirred up speculation regarding the Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) potential move to retain MS Dhoni under a special provision before the IPL 2025 mega auction later this year.
With Dhoni having been out of international cricket since 2019, there has been discussion about reintroducing a rule that would permit his retention as an uncapped player. Historically, from the first IPL season in 2008 until 2021, a rule existed that enabled players who had been retired from international cricket for over five years to be categorized as uncapped.
CSK pushes to retain MS Dhoni as an uncapped player for IPL 2025.
This change would enable teams to keep high-profile retired players at a lower cost compared to current international stars. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have proposed reviving this rule to retain MS Dhoni as an uncapped player for the IPL 2025 mega auction.
CSK put forward this idea during a recent meeting in Mumbai on July 31, where they suggested that Dhoni, who was previously retained for INR 12 crore in the IPL 2022 mega auction, could be kept for just INR 4 crore under the new rule.
Nevertheless, some IPL franchises have voiced objections, citing concerns about fairness and competitive balance. As the debate intensifies, Ravichandran Ashwin supports CSK’s proposal and is keen to see if Dhoni would agree to return as an uncapped player in the IPL 2025.
Will Dhoni play as an uncapped player?: Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, “Will Dhoni play as an uncapped player? That’s a big question mark. The point is correct. He hasn’t played international cricket for many years. He has retired. So, he is an uncapped player. He is not a capped player. Can a player like Dhoni play as an uncapped player? That is another conversation. Obviously, if someone talks about Dhoni, everyone will talk about it.”
In addition, the franchises have advocated for more stringent rules concerning overseas players in the IPL. They have suggested implementing a two-year suspension for players who back out of the league without a valid excuse after being auctioned.
Furthermore, the franchises are pushing for a policy change that would require all overseas players to participate in mega auctions, rather than just mini auctions. This would ensure that these players go through the complete bidding process and receive equitable compensation.
Ravichandran Ashwin criticizes overseas players for skipping IPL mega auctions.
Reacting to the demand, Ravichandran Ashwin opined by saying: “There is a new fun rule coming up that is going to change everything. I am saying this clearly. What do all the foreign players do? Skipping the mega auction. Today is the mega auction. I am going to farm in my city. Instead of coming to the auction, I will come to the mini-auction to build a house in Sydney for this mini-auction.”
Ravichandran Ashwin signed off by saying, “Tomorrow, I am buying the Maldives. The day after tomorrow, I am buying a ship in Fiji. They have come to the mini-auction so far. What they are saying is that the highest value of an Indian player is your value. You can go for as much as you want.”
