'He is not a capped player' - Ravichandran Ashwin elucidates rationale behind categorizing MS Dhoni as uncapped player

Indian cricketer and former Chennai Super Kings stalwart, Ravichandran Ashwin, addressed the recent heated debate concerning CSK's push to have their legendary former skipper, MS Dhoni, classified as an uncapped player. This strategy aims to register their distinguished player and further strengthen their squad.

Until 2021, an international player who had been retired for over half a decade was eligible for the "uncapped " designation. However, this regulation was abolished when the number of teams in the Indian Premier League expanded to 10 (from 2022 onwards).

Ashwin addressed the hot cake, acknowledging that while the debate encompassed valid arguments on both sides, he leaned towards the position that MS Dhoni should be classified as an uncapped player. He reasoned that, despite Dhoni's official retirement occurring in August 2020, his last international appearance was against New Zealand in the 2019 Cricket World Cup, thus justifying his consideration as uncapped. 

“Will Dhoni play as an uncapped player? That's a big question mark. The point is correct. He hasn't played international cricket for many years. He has retired. So, he is an uncapped player. He is not a capped player," Ashwin said on a video posted on his official YouTube channel.  

If you give them these retentions, their core is set: Ashwin  

However, it was Ashwin himself who further twisted the argument by citing the example of the Rajasthan Royals, for whom he has been playing since 2022. He pointed out that if the franchise, which has boasted an impressive roster including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal, Trent Boult, and other prominent players, were to receive multiple retention slots, it would significantly enhance its dominance in the league. He suggested that such a core, already finely tuned and powerful, would further solidify their commanding presence in the tournament.

"Can a player like Dhoni play as an uncapped player? That is another conversation. Obviously, if someone talks about Dhoni, everyone will talk about it. In franchises, for example, I played for RR. If you give them 7-8 retentions, RR will laugh at every team. Because, there are Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna, Trent Boult, Shimron Hetmyer, you can name a lot of names. If you give them these retentions, their core is set. It's enough to go to the auction and get 2-3 players,” added Ashwin.

Also Read: 'There is nothing more unfair for a player than RTM' - Ravichandran Ashwin shares views on retention rule ahead of IPL mega auction

Nevertheless, it remains to be observed what the ultimate position on the final regulations will be, with these anticipated to be disclosed in the forthcoming months.