On Saturday, CSK CEO KS Viswanathan had revealed that Suresh Raina had opted out of the IPL 2020 due to personal reasons. Initial reports had suggested that the COVID-19 outbreak in the CSK camp which saw multiple members test positive, as well as the brutal attack on his family members in Pathankot, were the reasons behind Suresh Raina’s surprising decision.
However, two days after Chennai Super Kings announced that Suresh Raina will return to India and miss the entirety of the IPL 2020, several media reports have suggested that it may be due to the player’s rift with captain MS Dhoni.
Suresh Raina has returned to India for personal reasons and will be unavailable for the remainder of the IPL season. Chennai Super Kings offers complete support to Suresh and his family during this time.
KS Viswanathan
CEO— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) August 29, 2020
Rift With MS Dhoni Behind Raina IPL Exit?
An Outlook India report has shed some light on Raina’s surprising exit from IPL 2020 weeks before the tournament. The report suggested that Suresh Raina was not happy with the hotel arrangements after CSK’s arrival in Dubai. The batsman struggled with the strict safety instructions in place, as he found the room ‘claustrophobic’.
However, the issue scaled up after Suresh Raina wanted a room with balconies, similar to what MS Dhoni had. The conflict regarding the room is said to be the main reason behind Raina’s IPL exit. With MS Dhoni not able to pacify his teammate, Suresh Raina went onto take the decision of travelling back to India and not feature in the IPL 2020 at all.
Three stories has arrived after Suresh Raina pulling out of the IPL:
– Uncle died.
– COVID issues in camp.
– Better room in the hotel.What will be next?
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 30, 2020
Cricketers Are Like Prima Donnas: CSK Owner
While the report wasn’t confirmed officially by the franchise, CSK owner N Srinivasan seemed to side with MS Dhoni on the issue, as he claimed that the CSK captain was in complete control.
During his interview with Outlook India, N Srinivasan said that cricketers are like prima donnas, comparing them to actors of the olden days. Speaking about the players’ relationship with each other, N Srinivasan said that CSK has always been a family where players have learned to co-exist. Referring to Raina’s IPL exit, N Srinivasan said that if someone is not happy, they can go back as he will not force anyone to do anything.
The CSK owner also made a cryptic comment about success getting to one’s head during the interview. N Srinivasan also claimed that Raina’s IPL exit is good news for CSK batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad, who may get his chance in IPL 2020 now. Answering questions about a potential Raina return, the owner suggested that the batsman will certainly realise what he is missing by not featuring in the tournament, in addition to the money he is going to lose.
However, expressing his intent to keep Raina’s return behind then, the CSK owner backed MS Dhoni and expressed his confidence that he was in control of the situation. He said that MS Dhoni had assured him that even if the COVID-19 cases go up, everything is in control.
The CSK owner also disclosed that MS Dhoni has already talked to the players over Zoom and asked them to remain safe. While concluding, N Srinivasan assured everyone that MS Dhoni’s behaviour is giving others a lot of confidence ahead of the IPL 2020.
