Dhoni's IPL Future Still Up in the Air as Indian Cricket Legend Plans Meeting with CSK Officials in Mid-October: Report

The path is now open for Chennai Super Kings to secure the services of the iconic MS Dhoni for another season, as the BCCI has reintroduced the 'uncapped player' rule for the 2025-2027 IPL seasons. Despite this development, the former CSK skipper has not yet officially committed to playing in the upcoming season. Reports suggest that Dhoni will meet with team officials later this month to discuss his future with the franchise.

Earlier this summer, Dhoni, in response to the growing concern among fanatics over his future in IPL, revealed that it would depend entirely on the retention rules set by the IPL Governing Council. “There is a lot of time for it. We have to see what decision they take on player retention etc. Right now, the ball is not in our court. So, once the rules and regulations get formalised, I will take a call, but needs to be in the best interest of the team,” he had said.

Last week, BCCI officially brought back the 'uncapped player' rule for the first time since it was scrapped in 2021, as Chennai heaved a sigh of relief over Dhoni's future. According to the rule, only applicable for Indian players, "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." Dhoni last played an international match in the 2019 ODI World Cup semifinal against New Zealand and retired a year later.

Despite BCCI's act to help Chennai, the franchise, according to a report in Cricbuzz, has remained tightlipped over Dhoni's participation in the 2025 IPL season. The report added that the former captain, who led Chennai to five IPL title glories, will meet the officials of the franchise in mid-October in Mumbai to reveal his final decision.

If Dhoni does participate, he will take a 66.67 per cent pay cut compared to his retention value of INR 12 crore before the 2021 auction. According to media reports, uncapped players can be retained for a price of INR 4 crore.