MS Dhoni’s status as an uncapped player is explained by Ravichandran Ashwin: “He is not a capped player.”

Former Chennai Super Kings star and Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin spoke on the current contentious discussion around CSK’s attempt to get their renowned former captain, MS Dhoni, listed as an uncapped player. This tactic seeks to add a notable player to their roster and bolster it even further.

An international player was eligible for the “uncapped” label up until 2021 if they had been retired for more than five years. However, this rule was removed when the Indian Premier League increased to ten teams (starting in 2022).

In his response, Ashwin conceded that there were good points made by both sides in the debate but said he personally preferred the idea that MS Dhoni ought to be considered an uncapped player. He reasoned that even if Dhoni announced his official retirement in August 2020, he should still be treated as uncapped because his final international match was against New Zealand during the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

Will Dhoni participate without a cap? That leaves a lot to be desired. You make a valid point. He hasn’t participated in international cricket for a long time. He is no longer employed. He is therefore an uncapped player. In a video that was uploaded to his official YouTube page, Ashwin declared, “He is not a capped player.”

Their fundamentals are set if you grant them these retentions: Ravichandran Ashwin

But by using the Rajasthan Royals, for whom he has been playing since 2022, as an example, Ashwin further distorted the argument. He made the point that the team would become much more dominant in the league if it were awarded many retention slots. The team boasts an excellent lineup that includes Trent Boult, Riyan Parag, Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, among other notable players. Such a core, already powerful and well-tuned, he claimed, would further cement their dominant position in the tournament.

Can someone like Dhoni participate in uncapped play? That’s a topic for another discussion. It goes without saying that everyone will discuss Dhoni if someone brings it up. I used to play for RR in franchises, for instance. RR will make fun of every team if you give them seven or eight retentions. You may list several names because of Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna, Trent Boult, and Shimron Hetmyer.

Also Read: After designating MS Dhoni as his favourite captain, Shardul Thakur predicts a peculiar response: “He will be typical Rohit Sharma with me on phone.”

Their fundamentals are set if you provide them these retentions. It’s sufficient to attend the auction and secure two or three players, Ashwin said. Though they are expected to be revealed in the upcoming months, it is still unclear what the final stance will be on the regulations.