Internet Goes Crazy for MS Dhoni as BCCI Reintroduces Uncapped Player Rule in IPL Retention Buzz

Fans are anticipating the arrival of their favourite players with great fervour as the IPL 2025 draws near. There is a great deal of demand for MS Dhoni to stay with CSK, as supporters strongly desire that the team keep him. There is a clear buzz about the next season.

Also Read: Guardiola tiring of tough question: How to replace irreplaceable Rodri?

IPL Retention: MS Dhoni memes go viral following BCCI's reinstatement of the uncapped player rule 

On Saturday, the BCCI posted the retention and auction rules for the forthcoming IPL season. The new regulations let Indian players who haven't represented the national team in the prior five years to be kept uncapped.

Among rumours, the Chennai Super Kings are set to keep MS Dhoni for IPL 2025. Cricket supporters on social media have responded swiftly with memes following the BCCI's declaration, particularly with regard to the reintroduction of the uncapped player rule. Many have hypothesised that Dhoni might remain an uncapped player in the IPL going forward.

An important update from the BCCI said that Indian players who haven't played in an international match for five straight calendar years will be considered uncapped. This was highlighted as the seventh point in an eight-point list. Retiring from international cricket in August 2020, Dhoni last represented India in July 2019 during the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand.

"A capped Indian player will become uncapped if the player has in the last five calendar years preceding the year in which the relevant Season is held, not played in the starting XI in International Cricket (Test match, ODI, Twenty20 International) or does not have a Central Contract with BCCI. This will be applicable for Indian Players only," BCCI said on Saturday, September 28.

Following the end of the 2024 season, MS Dhoni stayed quiet regarding his future in the IPL . Viewing it as a way to reward his supporters, Dhoni has yet to formally declare his retirement from the league, however he suggested at Chennai Super Kings ' 2023 IPL victory that the 2024 season could be his last. Given the new "uncapped player" criteria, Dhoni most certainly might make an IPL comeback for still another season.

PTI anticipates that an uncapped player's retention cost in the 2025 IPL season will be ₹4 crore.

Dhoni has always thought about how his retention affects CSK's budget. While Dhoni was kept for ₹12 crore, Ravindra Jadeja was retained by the franchise for ₹16 crore.

Using either direct retention or the Right to Match (RTM) alternative, the IPL declared on Saturday that every side will be entitled to keep up to six players. These six retentions allow for up to two uncapped players, as well as a maximum of five capped players—both Indian and foreign.