IPL chairman Arun Dhumal has refuted claims about the Uncapped Player rule being brought back specifically for Dhoni.
The BCCI has re-introduced the Uncapped Player rule allowing teams to retain players who have not played international cricket for more than five years as uncapped. This rule was scrapped ahead of the IPL 2022 auction but has been reinstated before a fresh season.
The main purpose of bringing this rule is assumed to accommodate MS Dhoni as an uncapped player so he can continue playing in the league for another cycle. Now Chennai Super Kings (CSK) can retain him for just INR 4 crores while filling the main slots with other quality options.
However, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal has refuted claims about the rule being brought back specifically for Dhoni. In an interview with Rediff, citing Piyush Chawla and Amit Mishra as examples, Dhumal explained several experienced players are still playing in the league and would benefit from this new rule.
“I don’t think so that this uncapped player is an exception for M S Dhoni. It is for all our players because so many young talents, who are making it to the Indian team, but there are many senior players who are announcing their retirement from international cricket but they are fit to play. You have someone like Piyush Chawla still playing in the IPL or you have Amit Mishra. They have been out of the Indian team for so many years, but they have done so well in the IPL.”
Undoubtedly, MS Dhoni’s presence aids the popularity of the Indian Premier League, which is already among the most expensive leagues in sports. Fans fill the stadiums just to get a glimpse of Dhoni, and he is present in almost everything related to IPL.
He has been playing in the league since its inception and has won as many as five IPL titles as a captain of CSK. Further, his personal performances as a batter and wicketkeeper have been memorable, for Dhoni has been among the finest performers in the league.
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Even at this age, he has been hitting the ball well and entertained his fans during the last season. No wonder CSK would want him to continue.
His presence will boost the overall revenue of the league, so the officials will also want Dhoni to return for the next season. However, there’s no clarity on whether CSK would retain him as an uncapped player.
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