Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan has rejected reports claiming that MS Dhoni has sought an ownership stake in the franchise. He also said Dhoni has not yet confirmed whether he intends to continue playing in the IPL and participate in the 2027 season.
Unverified reports had sparked speculation about a possible disagreement between Dhoni and Chennai Super Kings, with claims that the former captain and the franchise were at odds over a potential ownership arrangement.
A Cricblogger report claimed that Dhoni had initially asked for a 25 per cent stake in the franchise before reducing his demand to 20 per cent. It further alleged that CSK had offered him a 5.5 per cent share. However, none of these claims have been independently verified.
Viswanathan, however, dismissed the reports.
“The rumours are completely baseless,” Viswanathan told PTI.
WILL DHONI PLAY IN IPL 2027?
Dhoni’s future in the IPL has also become a subject of speculation, particularly over whether he will continue playing in the 2027 season. The former India captain missed the entire 2026 campaign due to injury as CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Viswanathan said Dhoni has not indicated that he plans to retire from the IPL, suggesting that the franchise is waiting for him to make a decision.
“Dhoni hasn't yet said he won't play. So let's wait,” Viswanathan said.
His comments follow remarks he made earlier this year, when he said CSK would be happy to retain Dhoni as a permanent part of the team in any capacity, including as a mentor.
“We have not discussed anything with MS as of now. MS takes his decisions on his own, and we respect that,” Kasi had said.
“We would always like to have him as a permanent fixture at CSK in whatever capacity — be it as a player, coach or mentor, whatever he would like. Any decision depends on him.”
For now, it remains uncertain whether Dhoni will feature for CSK next season. The former captain, meanwhile, appears to be enjoying his time away from competitive cricket.
