Suspense remains surrounding the future of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the Indian Premier League. Over the past few years, the questions over Dhoni's future with Chennai Super Kings have regularly popped up towards the end of the season; this year, CSK began to transition to a new era when Dhoni handed over the captaincy to opener Ruturaj Gaikwad.

But while Dhoni has remained tight-lipped over his future with the franchise, the Super Kings have reportedly demanded the reintroduction of a rule which would allow them to retain their star former captain as an uncapped player.

According to ESPNCricinfo, during the BCCI's meeting with IPL franchises to chart the course for the 2025 season, CSK owners advocated for the return of a rule in place from the tournament's inaugural edition in 2008 until 2021. This rule permits international cricketers who have been retired for over five years to be classified as uncapped players.

Ahead of the 2022 mega auction, teams were permitted to retain a maximum of four players, with the retention of uncapped players limited to two. Many franchises, in the meeting with the board on Wednesday, have since called for an increase in the number of players a team can retain. If Dhoni were to be classified as an uncapped player, CSK would gain an additional slot to retain another Indian player, potentially strengthening their squad.

MS Dhoni retired from all forms of international cricket in August 2020.

However, the proposal has faced significant opposition from other franchises. Sunrisers Hyderabad owner Kavya Maran was particularly vocal against the idea, arguing that it would "disrespect" both the player and their market value, which could be higher if they were included in the auction.

The sentiment was shared by most franchises, who believe that a retired international player should never be considered uncapped.

As the discussions continue, the IPL's governing body is likely to announce the rules for retention by the end of August. A decision will also be taken on whether the next season will precede a mega auction, as certain franchises have opposed it.

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