In the World Champions of Legends competition in Birmingham, a number of former Indian cricket stars, including Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, and Suresh Raina, are competing for the India Champions side.
However, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the former captain of India, is not included in the starting lineup because of rules established by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Even though Dhoni ended his career as an international cricket player in 2020, these rules prevent current Indian IPL players from competing in other leagues.
This season, Dhoni, who is still playing in the Indian Premier League, resigned from his position as captain of the Chennai Super Kings. Despite this, he was a key player for CSK in 2024, amassing 161 runs at a striking average of 220 from 14 games.
Dhoni is no longer a member of the Indian cricket team, yet this BCCI rules explains why he is unable to compete in the World Champions of Legends event with his old teammates.
Although fans would miss seeing Dhoni on the field again with Raina, Yuvraj, and Harbhajan, his success in the IPL keeps him in the public eye. His impact on Indian cricket is evident by the fact that viewers are enthralled with his role as a finisher for CSK.
Even if Dhoni is conspicuously absent from Birmingham, his commitment to the IPL is unwavering, underscoring his continuous contributions to the sport.
India Champions squad: Robin Uthappa, Naman Ojha (wk), Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh ©, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Vinay Kumar, Harbhajan Singh, Dhawal Kulkarni, Rahul Shukla, RP Singh, Saurabh Tiwary, Anureet Singh, Rahul Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Pawan Negi
