The Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council has announced the retention rules for the upcoming 2025 mega auction. While franchises can retain a maximum of six players, including one uncapped player, a significant twist has been introduced. The old rule, which was in place from 2008 to 2022, has been reinstated, allowing Indian players who haven’t played an international game in over five years to be retained as ‘uncapped players.’
This rule opens up the possibility for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to retain legendary captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for a nominal fee. According to the BCCI, “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.”
In addition to Dhoni, several other Indian players who have represented the national team but meet the uncapped criteria include:
* Piyush Chawla (Mumbai Indians)
* Sandeep Sharma (Rajasthan Royals)
* Rishi Dhawan (Punjab Kings)
* Mayank Markande (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
* Vijay Shankar (Gujarat Titans)
* Mohit Sharma (Gujarat Titans)
* Amit Mishra (Lucknow Super Giants)
* Karn Sharma (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)
This rule change provides franchises with greater flexibility in their retention strategies. It allows them to retain experienced players who may not be regular international fixtures but still possess valuable skills and experience.
