SRH CEO Kavya Maran drags MS Dhoni into IPL auction table during BCCI meeting

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) CEO Kavya Maran has raised suggestions with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials regarding player retention ahead of the mega auction. Kavya Maran said that retired players like MS Dhoni should not be treated as uncapped players during the retention process.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India met Indian Premier League franchise owners at BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Wednesday, July 31. The BCCI officials took feedback from IPL franchise owners about player regulations and other commercial aspects, including central merchandising, licensing, and gaming.

Shah Rukh Khan (Kolkata Knight Riders), Ness Wadia (Punjab Kings), Kiran Kumar Grandhi (Delhi Capitals), Sanjiv Goenka (Lucknow Super Giants), Rupa Gurunath (Chennai Super Kings), and Manoj Badale (Rajasthan Royals) were present. The owners of Mumbai Indians attended the meeting via video conference.

Before the 2022 IPL mega auction, the BCCI allowed franchises to retain only four players, with all others entering the auction. This rule remains unless the BCCI decides to amend it following the recent meeting with franchise owners. Notably, the BCCI had eliminated the 'Right To Match' (RTM) rule last time.

Senior Players Have Immense Value In The IPL - Kavya Maran

After the meeting, Kavya Maran didn't mention MS Dhoni by name but suggested that retired players should not be considered uncapped players. Maran stated that senior players bring experience and brand value to the team. She said their value should not be restricted to the uncapped player amount.

"Senior players have immense value in the IPL. They bring experience and some also bring brand value. By restricting their value to the uncapped amount, we are disrespecting the player and his value. Some retired players can go for much more in the auction than being retained as uncapped pre-auction," said Maran, as quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket through a social media post on August 15, 2020. However, Dhoni continues to represent the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL. The veteran wicketkeeper stepped down from the captaincy of the five-time champions before the start of the last season.

It Sets A Wrong Precedent To Allow Senior Players - Kavya Maran

Kavya Maran said that allowing senior players to be retained as uncapped sets a wrong precedent, especially when new uncapped players receive higher salaries at auction. She said that the auction should determine the value of retired players.

"When new uncapped players get more money in the auction, it sets a wrong precedent to allow senior players to be retained as uncapped. Let the auction dictate the value and caliber of the retired player, thereby respecting their contribution to the game over the years," Maran concluded.

The Hyderabad-based franchise reached the finals in this year's tournament. However, the Pat Cummins-led team failed to defeat the Kolkata Knight Riders in the summit clash. They did not advance to the playoffs from 2021 to 2023 in the IPL.

Also read: "KL Rahul will be in a lot of difficulty"- Dinesh Karthik's open challenge ahead of SL ODIs