The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction is fast approaching, and much of the anticipation centres around the retention policy, which the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to officially announce. Fans and franchises alike are eager to know how many players can be retained by each team and what the maximum number of overseas players allowed for retention will be.
These questions are currently the focus of speculation, but the BCCI has not provided any official updates on the matter. The auction itself is scheduled for December 2024, with the BCCI initially expected to release the retention policy by the end of August. However, according to a report by Cricbuzz, the announcement has been delayed, and teams may have until November 15 to finalize their player retentions.
A few weeks ago, there were rumours that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had requested the BCCI to bring back a previously scrapped rule that could allow the franchise to retain MS Dhoni at a lower price. Under the old rule, international players who had been retired for five years were categorized as ‘uncapped,’ meaning they could be retained at a much lower price. This rule was abolished after IPL 2021.
It was speculated that if the rule were reintroduced, CSK could retain Dhoni as an uncapped player for as little as Rs 4 crore, compared to the Rs 12 crore they paid to retain him in 2022. However, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanath denied that the franchise made any such request.
Interestingly, recent reports suggest that the BCCI is considering reinstating the rule for retired players to be categorized as uncapped. If this policy returns, it could not only benefit CSK and Dhoni but also impact the broader dynamics of the league.
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