Reports have claimed that MS Dhoni wanted to buy a stake in Chennai Super Kings (CSK). One report said he had shown interest in buying a stake in the franchise. It also claimed that CSK did not agree to the terms he proposed.
A senior CSK official has denied any talks with Dhoni about the matter. “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 official said.
Dhoni does own shares in CSK. According to information from Chennai, he bought some shares when they were available for purchase. CSK is an unlisted company, so its shares are not traded on the open market. They can still be bought through private deals.
How Many CSK Shares Does Dhoni Own?
Dhoni reportedly owns more than one lakh shares in CSK. His holding is a very small part of the franchise’s total shareholding.More than 30 crore shares are held by the public. This is close to 40% of CSK’s total share capital. Dhoni’s one lakh-plus shares are only a small part of this public holding.
The Srinivasan family owns more than 55% of CSK. This gives the family a controlling stake in the franchise. Based on current IPL team valuations, Dhoni’s shares could be worth around Rs 2.6-3 crore. An IPL team was last sold for more than Rs 16,600 crore. Dhoni’s estimated net worth is around Rs 1,200 crore from his cricket career, IPL earnings and endorsements.
Dhoni’s Role in CSK
Dhoni continues to be a vital figure at CSK despite relinquishing his position as captain. He didn’t play any game in the entire league for CSK last season. There are certain things that need to be decided by Dhoni at CSK. Appointment of the next head coach is one of them.According to reports, Dhoni has been spotted in the US and is expected to return around September 22. The meeting of the CSK officials regarding the new coach is scheduled for then.
The CSK side has clarified that they haven’t finalized any coach yet. According to sources, the team has finalized one coach from overseas, but he is currently negotiating with another IPL franchise as well. The decision is expected once Dhoni returns and meets with CSK officials.