MS Dhoni playing as an uncapped player doesn’t bode well for a league of IPL standards.
Let’s get it straight. MS Dhoni playing as an uncapped player doesn’t bode well for a league of the IPL’s standards. There has been so much fuss around Dhoni’s future in the league for a number of years now.
When Dhoni passed the captaincy baton to Ravindra Jadeja ahead of IPL 2022, the end seemed near for the great man. But as things panned out, Dhoni had to take over the reins again midway through the season after Jadeja’s clueless stint. While CSK didn’t qualify for playoffs that season, Dhoni led them to their fifth title in IPL 2023 and became the joint-most successful IPL skipper with Rohit Sharma.
That was the best time to go. He had everything. But he didn’t get his wish to bid farewell in front of the Chepauk crowd.
The winds of change again blew as Dhoni relinquished the captaincy duties and handed it to Ruturaj Gaikwad. The passing of the baton was smoother than in 2022, and Gaikwad also did a decent job in his maiden stint. That CSK won the trophy in 2023 ensured the next final in Chennai, so Dhoni decided to prolong his playing days.
But destiny, which has often been benevolent to Dhoni, had different plans. CSK lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their final league game in IPL 2024 and couldn’t qualify for the playoffs. All dreams of a fairytale ending shattered, like in the World Cup 2019.
With another season’s planning starting, the uncapped player rule that allows teams to retain a player as uncapped if he hasn’t featured for India in five years has been reinstated. It’s an open secret that this rule has been brought to allow Dhoni to continue in the league. But is it really required?
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Dhoni, 43, is just stretching his career unnecessarily at this point. Sure, he is a crowd favourite, and fans crave to get a glimpse of him, but truth be told, he doesn’t contribute enough to play in a T20 XI. At best, he comes in the last few balls and entertains spectators with his powerful blows, but that’s not enough to warrant a place.
Since 2023, Dhoni has batted in 16 innings and played only 130 balls. That’s around 8.12 deliveries per match. He is never in a position to come up in the order, and CSK shuffles their batting lineup too much only to accommodate him in death overs.
Even his wicketkeeping wasn’t close to Dhoni’s lofty standards, and the impact of knee surgery was visible in the 2024 season. His movements were restricted, and that swiftness with the gloves was missing. You don’t blame Dhoni for that; only a few can think of keeping the stumps at this age.
There’s a possibility that the Impact Player rule was brought just to let Dhoni play. But even for an impact player, eight balls per game is unacceptable. And his agility behind the sticks will only be regressed in the upcoming edition.
If Dhoni thinks he needs to ensure to be around Gaikwad, who is relatively new in the captaincy shoe, he can always do it while being in the dugout. He can take whatever role he wants in the coaching department and will most likely remain with CSK even after retirement. He can pass on his instructions and help Gaikwad tactically with his shrewd match-reading expertise; why block the place of someone more deserving?
But if CSK management still feels Dhoni is good enough, they should retain him as one of their first-choice retentions. That Dhoni, a three-time ICC title-winning captain, plays as an uncapped player disrespects everything he has achieved for India. A certain aura of MSD, who has played 538 matches for India, takes a massive hit when he plays as an uncapped player.
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The uncapped player rule suits someone like Sandeep Sharma, who didn’t get enough opportunities to play for India but still has plenty to offer. Several domestic players couldn’t get their due rewards for grinding in the local circuit because of intense competition, and the rule was made specifically for them. At this point, it’s the exploitation of regulations in place.
The nostalgia factor has taken a back seat. Now whenever Dhoni retires, if he ever does, that emotional resonance won’t be the same as it would have been had he timed his retirement precisely. He delayed his India retirement and is replicating it in the yellow jersey.
There’s nothing Dhoni hasn’t won. There’s nothing left for him to achieve. What’s stopping him, now?
There’s a narrative that IPL needs Dhoni and his brand value more than the other way around. But for IPL to become a global contender, it should get over such tired gimmicks. The focus should be on improving the quality on the field and not on morphing a player’s retirement into a publicised event season after season.
The quality absorbed a blow already during the last edition when the balance between bat and ball was utterly imbalanced. Continuing the Impact Player rule for another cycle for a certain player, whose future in the league is uncertain, will keep disrupting the equilibrium. How can this league claim to be serious when the focus remains on selected individuals?
Sure, there’s more money than any other cricketing event. Maybe it also competes with top-tier tournaments across sports in terms of money involved. But what eventually matters is how much fans enjoy the proceedings on the field.
That brings revenue and global recognition. The IPL rose to fame for having the best players who made the contest intriguing. If anything, the focus should be on enhancing the fan experience.
MS Dhoni can play for as long as he wants; neither CSK nor his fans will gripe. But valid questions must be asked. Does he really need to do it?
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