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August 1, 2024
MS Dhoni has decided to wait before confirming his participation in the IPL 2025 season. He plans to see the final rules and regulations, particularly regarding player retention, before making his decision. As the IPL reviews its auction and retention policies for the 2025 season, Dhoni will assess the new rules to determine if he will continue playing.
“There is a lot of time for it,” Dhoni, who turned 43 in July, said at an event in Hyderabad. “We have to see what decision they take on player retention etc. Right now, the ball is not in our court.
“So, once the rules and regulations get formalised, I will take a call, but needs to be in the best interest of the team.”
On Wednesday evening in Mumbai, the BCCI met with franchise owners and officials to discuss several vital rules. Topics included the Impact Player rule, player retention limits, and the upcoming mega auction scheduled before the following season.
In recent years, there have been ongoing questions about MS Dhoni’s future in the IPL, including who will succeed him as the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain. This question was partly answered earlier this year when Dhoni handed over the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad just before the season began.
Under Gaikwad’s leadership, CSK narrowly missed the playoffs, finishing fifth on the table with 14 points, tied with RCB but falling short on net run rate. Last season, Dhoni played a crucial role as a finisher, significantly impacting the death overs. He hit 13 sixes and 14 fours in 73 balls, achieving a remarkable strike rate of 220.54, his highest ever. He remained unbeaten in eight of his 11 innings.
The South Africa A squads for upcoming matches feature some notable players. Matthew Breetzke, currently on the Test tour of the West Indies, is included for the four-day matches in the four-day matches. Dewald Brevis, who made a splash in the 2022 Under-19 World Cup, is in both squads. Former Test captain Neil Brand, who led a second-string South African team in New Zealand earlier this year, will captain the South Africa A side against Sri Lanka A next month. This series includes two four-day games designed to prepare players on the edge of the national team. The four-day squad also features Tshepang Dithole and Sinethemba Qeshile.
The one-day squad, led by Test wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne, will play three matches before the four-day games. It includes David Bedingham, who scored a Test century under Brand, Tony de Zorzi, who debuted in ODIs last year, and Tristan Luus, a former Under-19 World Cup player. Mihlali Mpongwana, currently captaining the South African Emerging squad in Zimbabwe, and Lutho Sipamla, who has struggled with injuries, are in both teams.
A significant focus of these selections is Cricket South Africa’s aim to increase the number of black African players. The one-day squad includes six black African players, and the four-day squad contains four. This move aligns with CSA’s goal to develop more black African talent before the 2027 ODI World Cup, addressing a gap noted in recent tournaments. The series will run from August 31 to September 18, with the one-day matches in Potchefstroom and the four-day games in Kimberley and Benoni.
South Africa A One-Day Squad:
South Africa A Four-Day Squad:
Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for The Wicket Insider, she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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