CSK Finally Breaks Silence On Explosive MS Dhoni 'Asking For Stake' Report
CSK's parent company is unlisted and its shares are not available through the regular stock market, ownership can change through private, off-market transactions.
A recent report claimed that MS Dhoni had expressed interest in acquiring a stake in Chennai Super Kings, with the former captain reportedly seeking a 25% share before lowering his demand to 20%. The report further suggested that the franchise offered him a 5.5% stake. However, CSK have now denied having any discussions with Dhoni regarding such a proposal.
A senior CSK official told Cricbuzz that Dhoni has never approached the franchise about buying a stake. The official also clarified that CSK have no information about Dhoni discussing the matter with former BCCI president N Srinivasan.
“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,” the CSK official said.
Dhoni Already Owns CSK Shares
The report also claimed that Dhoni does hold a certain number of shares in the franchise. Since CSK's parent company is unlisted and its shares are not available through the regular stock market, ownership can change through private, off-market transactions.
According to the report, Dhoni owns more than one lakh shares. However, that represents only a small portion of the franchise, with more than 30 crore shares reportedly held by the public, accounting for nearly 40% of the total share capital. The family of N Srinivasan remains the controlling shareholder, with a stake of more than 55%.
Based on the current estimated valuation of IPL franchises, Dhoni's existing holding could be worth somewhere between ₹2.6 crore and ₹3 crore. Dhoni's overall net worth is estimated at around ₹1,200 crore.
Aakash Chopra Questions Claim
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra also weighed in on the controversy. Chopra, who has previously played for Kolkata Knight Riders, questioned the credibility of the claim that Dhoni had sought a major stake in CSK. He suggested that the reported story was difficult to believe and went as far as describing it as a possible “planted story.”
MS Dhoni remains an integral part of CSK and has been one of the franchise's most influential figures since the beginning of the IPL. Under his captaincy, Chennai Super Kings won five IPL titles.
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