Chennai Super Kings (CSK) CEO Kasi Viswanathan stated that rumors of MS Dhoni demanding an ownership stake in the franchise are completely false.

Unverified reports claimed Dhoni wanted a percentage of the team and that a disagreement strained relations. However, Viswanathan dismissed these claims as baseless, confirming there is no rift between Dhoni and the management.

The CSK official also clarified that Dhoni has not given any official confirmation regarding his IPL future or participation in the 2027 season.

According a report published by Cricblogger, Dhoni demanded up to 25% stake in the franchise, which was met with a counter-offer of only 5.5% from the management, creating a major fallout.

Speaking to PTI, Viswanathan put the speculations to rest. "The rumours are completely baseless," he said.

Regarding Dhoni’s player availability for the upcoming seasons, the CSK CEO noted that Dhoni has not yet committed to his IPL future, including the 2027 edition, and advised fans to wait for the legendary cricketer to make his own formal call.

"Dhoni hasn't yet said he won't play. So lets wait," said Viswanathan.

This comment comes after he had said earlier that CSK won't mind having Dhoni as a permanent fixture with the team in any capacity.

“We have not discussed anything with MS as of now. MS takes his decisions on his own, and we respect that,” Kasi 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.”

Notably, MS Dhoni did not play a single match in IPL 2026. This marked the first time in the tournament’s 19-year history that the former CSK captain missed an entire season.

Just before the tournament kicked off in March, CSK announced that Dhoni had suffered a calf strain. While he was initially expected to miss only the first two weeks, he aggravated the injury during his rehabilitation.

Following CSK's exit in the league stage of the 2026 season, discussions have shifted to Dhoni's future with the franchise. At 45 years old, he is not expected to return as a player for IPL 2027.

With long-time head coach Stephen Fleming parting ways with the franchise, reports indicate that CSK have paused its auction and hiring plans while waiting for Dhoni to decide whether he wants to take over as the head coach or transition into a team mentor.