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Will we see MS Dhoni in the uncapped category in IPL 2025, the chair of the IPL, Arun Dhumal has shared his thoughts on the same. This comes after the Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council introduced a few strict regulations for player retention ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Out of the seven regulations that the IPL put out officially, number 7 point was widely circulated online. The rule pertained to an Indian player being deemed uncapped if he has not played for India in the last five years in any format.

Dhumal lauds MS Dhoni’s contribution

“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,” the regulation by IPL stated.

In an exclusive interview with Indian Express, Arun Dhumal, who was re-elected as IPL chief for one more year in the BCCI AGM, spoke about whether the ruling was specifically done so that MS Dhoni could be retained by Chennai Super Kings in the uncapped category.

To the question, Arun Dhumal stated: “Player like MS Dhoni, it is immaterial whether he is uncapped or capped. He would anyway be the first target for any franchise.”

Furthermore, Arun Dhumal was asked about why the IPL governing council decided to retain the impact player rule. The impact player rule has been dividing opinions a lot.

“Impact players have added value to the tournament”- Arun Dhumal

During the meeting between BCCI and IPL owners, the majority of the owners were against continuing the impact player rule citing that it hampers the growth of all-rounders. Eight of the top 10 highest team totals in IPL history came in the 2024 edition when the impact player rule was introduced.

Punjab Kings even chased down 262 runs in the IPL 2024 and the rule became a topic of argument as teams were free to include an extra batter or bowler at their convenience.

When asked during the interview why IPL decided to retain the impact player rule, Arun Dhumal said that it has added value to the IPL tournament.

“Impact players have added value to the tournament. If you see the last season, the scores we had were phenomenal compared to the previous season. The idea is to give a platform to an additional batter or a bowler so that they can perform with their skillset. One argument was the all-rounders were missing out. But if you look at it closely, all the top-class all-rounders were never left out. Be it Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) or (Sunil) Narine, be it anyone. If an all-rounder wants to find a place, he has to raise the bar as an all-rounder,” he stated.

The impact player rule will continue till IPL 2027.

Also Read: Ajay Jadeja Discloses Probable Retentions For Rajasthan Royals Before IPL 2025; No Riyan Parag