REAL or FAKE! Did relationship between MS Dhoni & CSK turn sour over franchise's stake?
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MS Dhoni did not play any match in the IPL 2026.
Indian Cricket veteran MS Dhoni has had a long-standing relationship with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has led the franchise to five IPL titles and two Champions League (CL) T20 titles.
After being among the most successful captains in the history of the league, he passed on the baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the IPL 2024. Dhoni played the 2024 and 2025 seasons as a player, but had to take the reins in the later part of 2025 due to Gaikwad’s injury.
Dhoni did not feature in any of the fixtures in the IPL 2026. He was ruled out for two weeks because of his recovery from a knee injury. However, that wait lasted for the whole season and fans could not witness the veteran take the field.
Many have speculated that not all is well between the CSK management and their former captain. Reports suggest that this strain in the relationship was the reason why Dhoni did not play in the last season. Below are more details regarding the same.
MS Dhoni wanted to buy stakes in CSK, but was turned down – Reports
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CricBlogger reporter Indranil Basu has reported that MS Dhoni was unhappy with the CSK management over the manner some players were dealt with in the franchise.
Additionally, it comes to light now that, he was also turned down from a trade deal between the two parties. The 45-year-old had expressed his interest to buy 25% stakes in the franchise. However, the owners were willing to offer him 3%.
Further, when Dhoni lowered his demand to 20%, the management’s offer increased only marginally, to 4%. Eventually, Dhoni offered 18%, but the final offer from CSK remained to be 5.5%. The two have reached a deadlock in this matter currently. Most of the negotiation dialogue took place verbally with no written or formal agreement between the two.
“Dhoni wanted to buy a stake. He wasn’t asking for it for free, but the CSK management thought otherwise,” as stated by CricBlogger in their latest article.
This was the first IPL season that Dhoni did not feature in. It has been speculated that this rift in their relationship could have caused the keeper-batter missing out the whole edition. However, nothing remains clear at present. There is no certainty on whether the CSK fans will be able to witness their ‘Thala’ in Yellow again.
Does MS Dhoni have a stake in the CSK franchise?
Currently, the CSK franchise is owned by N. Srinivasan and his family members, and MS Dhoni does not have a stake in the same.
Why did MS Dhoni not play any game in the IPL 2026?
There are reports speculating that the relationship between MS Dhoni and the CSK management has strained, which could be the reason why he did not feature in the IPL 2026.
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Cricket runs in the blood of Indians — and that’s something she truly believes in. A law student with a lifelong connection to the game, she has followed cricket passionately since his school days. Like countless young fans, she first experienced the sport on the field before deepening his understanding through constant watching, reading, and conversations around the game. Writing became a natural extension of that passion, bringing a “Pavilion Perspective” to his work — capturing how fans experience matches through their own lens.