T10 Global Sports chairman opens up on possibility of MS Dhoni joining T10 league as a player

Dhoni’s participation in the upcoming IPL season continues to be a major topic of discussion.

By Salman Anjum - 20 Oct, 2024

MS Dhoni’s participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season continues to be a major topic of discussion. As per the retention guidelines, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will be able to retain Dhoni for INR 4 crore.

In a significant announcement, the BCCI has listed that the Indian players, who hadn't played any international game for at least five calendar years would be considered an uncapped player.

Notably, Dhoni retired from all formats of international cricket in August 2020 while he played his last match for India in July 2019.

However, there is still no clarity whether the Super Kings would utilize this rule to keep the 43-year-old in their midst.

Amidst all this, the possibility of Dhoni joining the T10 league has emerged. Shaji Ul Mulk, founder and chairman of T10 Global Sports, believes that the legendary wicketkeeper’s participation in the T10 format is a real possibility once he calls time on his illustrious IPL career.

"Absolutely, I think outside of the top level of international cricketers playing, current India internationals are not allowed to play outside of the Indian Premier League. The recently retired players, almost all the big names of India, have come to play T10. So yes, we can expect MS Dhoni to be playing T10 when he makes up his mind," Shaji told ANI.

A total of 179 international megastars will participate in the 2024 Abu Dhabi T10, making it the biggest season ever. Players from 11 different nations were drafted, showcasing the truly global nature of the Abu Dhabi T10.

Leading the selections were 20 players from the West Indies, 17 from the UAE, 15 from Sri Lanka, and 14 from Pakistan. Afghanistan contributed 11, while nine English, five Zimbabwean, three Bangladeshi, three Australian, and two each from New Zealand and South Africa were also picked, highlighting the tournament's international appeal.

Matthew Boucher, Abu Dhabi Cricket CEO, believes that the format can take off on a global level and said, "It seems like T10 is having a fantastic couple of years. From our perspective, we absolutely love it. It is something that is taking to take off on a global perspective."

(With ANI Inputs)

By Salman Anjum - 20 Oct, 2024

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