Information is being received from many news channels that M.S Dhoni can be seen playing as an uncapped player in IPL 2025. On the request of Chennai Super Kings as well as many franchises, BCCI can bring back the old retention rule.

And Chennai Super Kings and its owner N. Shrinivas also want BCCI to implement this rule again. So that MS Dhoni can be retained in CSK as an uncapped player for IPL 2025.

M.S Dhoni’s future in IPL 2025 depends on this decision. As a result, a huge amount of money can be saved for CSK. While the return of former 2011 World Cup-winning Indian team captain and CSK star Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the 2025 IPL season has been a matter of much discussion among cricket fans and pundits since the conclusion of the 2024 IPL season. And Dhoni himself has indicated that the player retention rule could play a big role in his decisions.

 Speaking during a recent meeting in Hyderabad, Mahendra Singh Dhoni talked about his continuation in the IPL and said that there is still a lot of time for this. M.S Dhoni also said that we have to see what decision they take on retaining the players etc. Right now the time is not in our favor, so once the rules and exchanges are formalized, I will take a decision but it should be in the best interest of the team.

Is it because of M.S Dhoni that BCCI has thought about bringing back the old IPL retention rule?

After a statement by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, several reports have revealed that the CSK manager has asked the BCCI to rework several IPL rules to allow franchises to retain M.S Dhoni as an uncapped player ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. For your information, uncapped players are those who have retired from international cricket for 5 years or more.

It is worth noting that CSK returned M.S Dhoni at a huge price of 12 crores during the last auction. But since then, many things have changed. And from IPL 2024, Dhoni has handed over the command of the team to Rituraj Gaikwad.

All the rules till now were part of the inaugural year of IPL till the year 2021. Now they have been abolished. Because these rules were of no use. CSK will have to spend only Rs 4 crore on keeping Mahendra Singh Dhoni as a player, which will save a lot from his previous price.

Recent reports from Zee News have revealed that CSK had raised the issue of reinstating the retention rule in the July 31 meeting with the BCCI. And the ICC has also voted in favour of the proposal. A BCCI source said that there is a strong possibility of the rule coming back. It was discussed in detail in the meeting held last month. And it may be brought back when the rules for players are announced.

M.S Dhoni’s achievements as a captain

 Although no facts have been fully confirmed yet, nor has it been confirmed yet whether M.S Dhoni will return for another season with CSK. But there are some special reasons that make it seem that Dhoni should now retire from IPL 2025. MS Dhoni is one of the most successful cricketers in India.

What he achieved during his tenure with the Indian team is not only unmatched in terms of his captaincy, but M.S Dhoni is the only captain in the whole world who has led his team to victory in all three ICC titles while captaining.

He has also impressed everyone with his wicketkeeping skills. He may not have as great a record as a leader in Test cricket as he has in white ball cricket. But it is unforgettable that when he was the captain, he led Team India to the number one rank in Test cricket as well.

Talking about the Indian Premier League, Dhoni has been exceptional as a captain. He has managed to lead his franchise CSK to five titles. Not only when he was the favorite, but also when he was eliminated. And he was branded as “Dad’s Army”. Even though Dhoni has handed over the captaincy of CSK to Rituraj Gaikwad ahead of IPL 2024, he is associated with CSK as a wicketkeeper batsman.

While it is not certain whether Dhoni will return for another season with CSK, IPL 2025, even Dhoni’s most die-hard fans will agree that no player can play forever. Looking at the advancing age, it is also realized that MS Dhoni’s best days are over now. He may look completely fit now, but the 44 year old plays only one tournament a year. So it is not an easy task to replicate that when he used to play throughout the year, he was at the peak of his ability as a wicketkeeper batsman.

 Over time, M.S Dhoni’s batting has shown a lack of consistency. Dhoni may evoke feelings of nostalgia and prestige and may still be able to finish some matches due to his vast experience. But it would be fair to say that he has lacked consistency in recent years.

For example, in IPL 2024, Dhoni scored only 161 runs in 14 matches and often came out to bat in the very low order. On the other hand, if we talk about IPL 2023, then his performance was even worse this season and he could score only 104 runs in the entire season 2023. However, in the year 2023, M.S Dhoni’s team CSK won the tournament.

This could be the best opportunity for a successful batsman and wicketkeeper like MS Dhoni to retire and take up the role of a mentor with Royal Challengers Bangalore like Dinesh Karthik. A mega auction is planned ahead of IPL 2025. Which means that this will be a time for all the franchises when all the teams will want to make a new angle for the future.

With MS Dhoni in the playing 11, even if there are other wicketkeeper batsmen in the CSK team, they may either get a chance to play as batsmen or have to wait for a very long time to get a chance. Given that Dhoni himself recognized the need to give opportunities to young players even while being the captain.

MS Dhoni’s struggle during injury time

 However, given M.S Dhoni’s habit of making last-minute announcements without any hassle, fans may have to wait a little longer for confirmation. Despite working hard on his fitness, Dhoni has been struggling with injuries for the last few seasons. A knee injury troubled him for the last few seasons.

Due to which he also underwent surgery in Mumbai. In IPL 2024, MS Dhoni, who was a master finisher, suffered a muscle strain. Due to this, he batted in the lower order in this season 2024. This could be another reason why Dhoni may consider retiring from IPL 2025.

M.S Dhoni has already left behind a huge legacy. One of the most respected and loved cricketers in the country, he would not want to tarnish his stature and image by unnecessarily extending his career. While CSK fans would want their Thaala to stay forever, a rational mind would suggest that it is now very difficult for him to cope and struggle with the growing demands of the IPL at the age of 44.