Chennai Super Kings has denied that legendary former and current player Dhoni tried to take a big stake in the Indian Premier League club. CSK's chief executive officer Kasi Viswanathan denied that he was unhappy with the franchise management.
Recently, Dhoni was said to be interested in purchasing a stake in CSK as he wants to cement a long-standing relationship with the five-time IPL champions. It was said that talks for a possible ownership arrangement have taken place but have not been successful because of the size of the stake.
The reports said Dhoni had initially wanted a 25 per cent stake in the franchise. The CSK ownership group was supposedly willing to give a much smaller share, around three per cent. In addition, Dhoni dropped his demand to 20 per cent and then 18 per cent, while the offers from the management were only four per cent and 5.5 per cent.
In the meantime, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has categorically denied the claims. Viswanathan told PTI that the reports were not true and no such dispute happened between Dhoni and the team. His words are important because there has been so much speculation on Dhoni's relationship with CSK after his departure from the 2026 IPL season after he was not selected by CSK.
The ownership reports had also fuelled concerns that Dhoni and CSK had a rift. With his extraordinary association with the team, any dispute between Dhoni and the franchise would naturally draw a lot of attention to it. Dhoni has been the heart of CSK since the first IPL and has won multiple cups.
According to the reports that have been denied by CSK, much of the discussion regarding the ownership arrangement was verbal, and no formal proposal or agreement was exchanged. In this regard, the franchise's denial is even more important because there seems to be no confirmed formal transaction or ownership agreement with Dhoni.
Dhoni’s future as a player has also been a big topic of discussion. The 45-year-old was retained by CSK for Rs 4 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction under the BCCI's revived uncapped-player rule. Players who retired from international cricket for at least five years were allowed to be uncapped players for IPL retention purposes.
Dhoni had to sit out the entire 2026 IPL season as he was injured. His absence left CSK without one of the most recognisable figures in the history of the tournament and it was also not clear if he would stay.
But the team has not said that Dhoni is being pushed into retirement. Viswanathan has explained that Dhoni has not told CSK that he will not play in 2027. When asked about Dhoni’s future, the CEO said: “Dhoni hasn’t yet said he won’t play. So let’s wait.”
That is what keeps the possibility for another season alive. Although Dhoni’s age (and recent injuries, too) have obviously raised questions about his ability to compete at the highest level, his decision is to be made on his own. CSK’s comments show that the team is not going to make any guesses about his future and wait for clarity rather than make a guess.
Dhoni is not just a batsman; he is also the captain of CSK and as such he is very much a part of the team’s culture, a part of the team’s structure and identity, even as he steps down from the captaincy of the team.
CSK also have one of their biggest transitions to make now that head coach Stephen Fleming has quit. The team is still without a head coach and that is really making it more difficult for CSK to prepare itself for the upcoming IPL. CSK will need a new coaching setup.
Now that Dhoni has been dismissed from the ownership rumours, all eyes will turn to Dhoni’s playing future and CSK’s plans for IPL 2027. And fans will want to know whether the five-time champions will see their legendary former captain on the field again.
But CSK's position is pretty clear: there is no dispute over a 25 per cent ownership stake, and Dhoni has not ruled himself out of playing in IPL 2027. The next big thing that will probably happen is that the veteran decides if he is ready to continue his extraordinary IPL career.
