Sunil Gavaskar on IPL's uncapped rule 'to fit MS Dhoni': 'To franchises it doesn’t matter but Indian cricket...'

Sunil Gavaskar on IPL's uncapped rule 'to fit MS Dhoni' (BCCI Photos)

Legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar voiced his displeasure with the large sums of money given to Indian Premier League (IPL) players who have not yet earned caps. With the advent of the T20 format and the IPL, young players now have a large platform to perform and show off their skills to the cricket community. As more players, both new and seasoned, strike the pay dirt for playing in the IPL, the league's success has also resulted in a rise in the franchise's auction purse.

Gavaskar, however, has stated unequivocally that young players without caps shouldn't receive excessive compensation. Additionally, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the BCCI's modification of the uncapped player retention criteria prior to this season in order to allow MS Dhoni to be retained for Rs 4 crore.

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"A whole lot of the players bought for huge amounts simply fade away as their hunger and drive are satiated. To the franchises, it perhaps doesn’t matter as they may feel it’s good riddance, but Indian cricket takes a bit of a beating at the loss of any player whether he has been successful or not. To accommodate Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who became an uncapped player before the auction last year, the limit was raised to ₹4 crore," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.

In a daring move, the BCCI implemented a new uncapped player rule during the retention process. This rule states that an Indian player who hasn't played international cricket for five years before the relevant season will be placed as a "uncapped player" at the IPL auction. The regulation, which had been in effect since the 2008 season, was repealed in 2021 and then reinstated, allowing CSK to retain Dhoni for Rs 4 crore. Gavaskar requests that the BCCI modify the regulation and lower the sum for uncapped player retention.

It's difficult to find an uncapped player who was selected for a significant sum, Gavaskar said, but he continued to defend his skill on the big stage. “In all these years, it is hard to recall an uncapped player bought for huge numbers who has justified his inclusion in the team. Maybe over the next couple of years, he may get a bit better with experience, but if he is playing in the same local league, then that chance of improvement doesn’t get much better,” he added.

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Rasikh Dar was purchased by RCB for Rs 6 crore, making him the most expensive uncapped player in the IPL 2025 mega auction. However, the right-arm pacer has played only two matches this season so far. According to the renowned cricketer, many young players fall short of the high expectations that come with the high price tag. Things start to work out with it when their price is lowered the following year.

"What does happen is that if in the next auction his price comes down, then the pressure of expectations also comes down and the player plays a lot better," he wrote.