"I will retain Dhoni as a normal capped player" - Ravichandran Ashwin comes up an intriguing retention suggestion for CSK
Seasoned Team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has said he would not retain MS Dhoni as an uncapped player for IPL 2025 despite Chennai Super Kings (CSK) having the option. Ashwin explained he would instead pick the legend as a normal capped player along with Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, and Matheesha Pathirana.
While announcing the updated IPL player regulations for 2025-2027 last month, the BCCI brought back the scrapped rule as per which an Indian player who has not played international cricket for five years (and does not have a central contract) can be considered uncapped. Dhoni last represented India in July 2019.
Several fans and critics reckon that the uncapped rule has been brought back in the IPL specifically to allow Dhoni to play another season of the T20 league. However, according to Ashwin, CSK must retain their former captain as a capped player even though they have the option of retaining him as an uncapped cricketer. The spinner said on his YouTube channel:
"I will give a fresh perspective. I will retain Rutu (Gaikwad), Jaddu (Jadeja), Dube, Pathirana and Dhoni. I will retain Dhoni as a normal capped player, not as an uncapped player."
On who he will retain as the CSK's uncapped player, the 38-year-old added:
"I’ll retain these five and will get Sameer Rizvi as my sixth retention."
Rizvi (20), a big-hitting batter from Uttar Pradesh, was purchased by Chennai Super Kings for a whopping ₹8.40 at the IPL 2024 auction. He faced 43 balls during the T20 league earlier this year and scored 51 runs, with the aid of four fours and two sixes. Amazingly, he kicked off his IPL career with a first-ball six off Rashid Khan in a match against Gujarat Titans (GT).
MS Dhoni's CSK retention for IPL 2025: Capped vs Uncapped price
Any player who falls in the uncapped category in the IPL as per the modified rules can be retained by their franchise for ₹4 crore. On the other hand, the price is much higher for a team to retain a capped cricketer.
Player 1 can be retained for ₹18 crore, Player 2 for ₹14 crore, Player 3 for ₹11 crore, Player 4 for ₹18 crore and Player 5 for ₹14 crore.
As per the rules in place for the upcoming mega auction, each franchise can retain a maximum of five capped players and a maximum of two uncapped players.