Sunil Gavaskar Critiques High Salaries for Uncapped IPL Players
Concerns Over Uncapped Player Salaries
Sunil Gavaskar, the former captain of India and a cricketing icon, has voiced his apprehensions regarding the substantial salaries awarded to uncapped players in the current IPL season. As the IPL 2025 Auction approaches, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reinstated a rule concerning uncapped players, accompanied by a new salary cap framework.
BCCI's Revised Salary Cap Structure
The BCCI has established a retention salary cap of INR 4 crore for uncapped players ahead of the mega auction scheduled in Saudi Arabia this November. This rule also applies to players who have not participated in international cricket or have retired for over five years. Additionally, the base price for uncapped players has been raised to INR 30 lakh, an increase from the previous INR 20 lakh.
Increased Auction Purse for Franchises
In light of the IPL's growing popularity, the BCCI has augmented the auction purse for all ten franchises to INR 120 crore, marking a 20% increase from last year's INR 100 crore. This adjustment provides teams with greater flexibility to retain key players.
Gavaskar's Discontent with BCCI's Decisions
Gavaskar believes that uncapped players should not receive such high payments, criticizing the BCCI for modifying the retention rule that allowed Chennai Super Kings to keep MS Dhoni for INR 4 crore. He remarked, "Many players bought for large sums often lose their drive, and while franchises may not mind, Indian cricket suffers from the loss of any player, regardless of their success."
He further noted, "To accommodate MS Dhoni, who became an uncapped player before last year's auction, the limit was raised to ₹4 crore."
History of the Uncapped Player Retention Rule
The uncapped player retention rule was initially introduced in 2008 but was abolished in 2021. It has now been reinstated for the IPL 2025 Auction, enabling CSK to retain Dhoni for a significantly lower fee.
MS Dhoni's Retirement and Current Status
MS Dhoni concluded his international career after his last match in the 2019 ODI World Cup semifinal against New Zealand. He announced his retirement from all formats in August 2020. In the previous IPL retention, Dhoni was kept for INR 12 crore, but his status as an uncapped player allowed CSK to retain him for a much lower amount.
Gavaskar's Views on Performance Expectations
Gavaskar expressed skepticism about the performance of uncapped players who are bought for high amounts, stating that few have justified their price tags in the tournament. He believes that playing in local leagues does not enhance a player's skills significantly. He added, "If a player's auction price decreases, the pressure of expectations also diminishes, leading to improved performance."
Record-Breaking Uncapped Player
Rasikh Dhar holds the title of the most expensive uncapped player in IPL history, having been acquired by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for INR 6 crore during the IPL 2025 Auction. However, the Jammu and Kashmir cricketer has only participated in two matches this season.