The future of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the Indian Premier League (IPL) continues to be a topic of intense speculation. For several seasons now, questions about Dhoni’s tenure with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have resurfaced as the IPL campaigns draw to a close.
This year, CSK initiated a transition phase by passing the captaincy mantle to Ruturaj Gaikwad, signalling a potential shift towards a new era for the franchise. Despite these changes, Dhoni has remained silent about his plans, leaving fans and experts alike guessing.
Amid the uncertainty, CSK reportedly pushed for the reintroduction of a specific rule that could significantly impact Dhoni’s future with the team. The franchise is said to be advocating for Dhoni to be named an uncapped player in the league. Until 2021, an international player who had been retired for over five years would qualify for the uncapped option; this rule was scrapped when the number of IPL teams increased to 10.
Should the rule be amended to classify Dhoni as an uncapped player, CSK would not only secure their legendary leader but also have the flexibility to strengthen their squad by retaining an additional Indian player, thereby bolstering their chances in future campaigns.
India’s star off-spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, has now spoken in detail about the report, stating that it calls for an interesting debate.
“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,” Ashwin said on his official YouTube channel.
“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.”
The off-spinner then referred to his own side, the Rajasthan Royals, stating that if the number of retentions were increased, the Royals would have a “laugh” at every other side in the league.
“In franchises, for example, I played for the RR. If you give them 7-8 retentions, the RR will laugh at every team. Because there are Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna, Trent Boult, Shimron Hetmyer, you can name a lot of names. If you give them these retentions, their core is set. It’s enough to go to auction and get 2-3 players,” said Ashwin.
