CSK Breaks Silence On MS Dhoni's Reported Demands For 25% Stake In Franchise

News cricket CSK Breaks Silence On MS Dhoni's Reported Demands For 25% Stake In Franchise

CSK Breaks Silence On MS Dhoni's Reported Demands For 25% Stake In Franchise

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Last Updated: August 31, 2026, 15:35 IST

CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan denied rumors of MS Dhoni demanding a stake in the franchise, calling them "baseless."

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MS Dhoni didn't play a single match in IPL 2026. Photo by Faheem Hussain / CREIMAS for IPL

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have rejected claims that former captain and current player MS Dhoni has demanded a significant stake in the franchise, with CEO Kasi Viswanathan telling PTI that it was a ‘baseless’ rumor.

Reports last week had suggested that Dhoni wanted to buy a stake in CSK to potentially strengthen his long-standing association with the franchise. However, the reports claimed, the deal fell through after the CSK management did not agree to his terms.

Dhoni was said to have initially sought a 25% stake, while the CSK owners were willing to offer 3%. He later lowered his demand to 20% and then 18%, but the management’s offers reportedly rose only to 4% and 5.5%, respectively.

Most of the negotiations were reportedly verbal, with no formal proposal or agreement exchanged. The disagreement was also said to have strained Dhoni’s relationship with CSK, raising uncertainty over his playing future with the five-time champions.

“The rumours are completely baseless," Viswanathan said.

Dhoni had been retained for Rs 4 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction — by virtue of being seen as an ‘uncapped’ player under a revived BCCI rule that considered cricketers who have been retired for five years as such — but missed the entire 2026 season due to injury.

‘Dhoni hasn’t said he won’t play’

Viswanathan added that Dhoni had not yet given a definitive ‘no’ about playing in IPL 2027. The India legend is 45 years old, well past the average IPL retirement age, and more injury-prone than ever. But CSK have shown a reluctance to ever push him out and move on, allowing him to carry a lot of heft in the workings of the team on and off the field.

“Dhoni hasn’t yet said he won’t play. So let’s wait," Viswanathan said on the rumors of him not playing next year.

CSK are also currently without a head coach since Stephen Fleming’s departure.

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Quick Answers Powered by Ask News18 Will MS Dhoni play for CSK in the IPL 2027 season? MS Dhoni has not yet definitively stated that he will not play in the IPL 2027 season. However, he is 45 years old and missed the entire IPL 2026 season due to a knee injury, making his participation in the next season unlikely. There are also discussions about him potentially taking on a coaching role for CSK in IPL 2027. Powered by Ask News18

First Published: August 31, 2026, 15:35 IST

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