Recently, a report stated that MS Dhoni had shown interest in buying a stake in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise. However, the former captain’s interest was denied by the officials, as the management didn’t agree to the terms proposed by him.
“MS has never asked us about it. We never discussed the matter. We also don’t have any information about him having discussed this with Mr. N. Srinivasan either,” said the senior CSK functionary to Cricbuzz.
However, Dhoni does own a stake in the franchise. According to reports from Chennai, the former captain purchased part of the available shares. Although CSK shares are not traded on the open market because the company is not listed, they can be purchased privately through off-market transactions.
According to published statistics, Dhoni owns more than one lakh shares; however, this represents a modest portion of the overall shareholding structure. The public owns more than 30 crore outstanding shares, or nearly 40% of the franchise's total share capital.
Dhoni's one lakh-plus shares, then, represent only a small portion of the public holdings. For the record, the Srinivasan family controls more than 55% of the franchise.
His stake might be worth Rs 2.6–3 crore based on the current market valuation of an IPL franchise (an IPL team was last sold for more than Rs 16,600 crore). This is again a relatively small amount when compared to his earnings over a 21-year playing career in both the IPL and international cricket, as well as his commercial endorsements.
With an estimated net worth of almost Rs 1,200 crore, Dhoni is regarded as one of the wealthiest cricket players in the world.
MS Dhoni, despite surrendering the captaincy and not playing in IPL 2026, remains an influential part of CSK. The management of CSK is awaiting his decision regarding the future steps, especially with regard to selecting a new head coach. He is anticipated to return around September 22 and is now thought to be in the United States.
Although CSK authorities insist that they have not yet selected a coach, sources claim that they have focused on a foreign applicant who is also reportedly in negotiations with another team. When Dhoni returns and meets with senior CSK management executives, the final decision might be taken.
(Cricbuzz inputs)
