Suresh Raina pulled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and returned home to India on Saturday, 29 August, citing personal reasons but Outlook has revealed that his decision could have more to do with a rift with skipper MS Dhoni about rooms and the bio-bubble protocols Raina was finding claustrophobic.
The publication spoke to CSK’s owner and former BCCI boss N Srinivasan who said, "Cricketers are like prima donnas ... like the temperamental actors of the olden days. Chennai Super Kings have always been like a family and all seniors players have learnt to co-exist."
According to Outlook, Raina was unhappy with the room he was allotted in Dubai where he had been quarantining – like the rest of the squad – since the teams landed on 21 August. Raina reportedly wanted a similar room to Dhoni’s as his room did not have ‘proper balconies'.
"It was a stupid reason, nothing much. He was not happy with the room given to him. It all started when he came to the UAE, along with the team. Other CSK members tried to convince him but he didn't listen to anybody," sources in the UAE told IANS.
"My thinking is that if you are reluctant or not happy, go back. I don't force anyone to do anything ... sometimes success gets into your head," Srinivasan told Outlook.
The owner however believes Raina, who has been part of Chennai Super Kings from the very first season (apart from the two years CSK was suspended) may review his decision and could re-join the team.
"The season has not begun yet and Raina will certainly realise what he is missing and certainly all the money (Rs 11 crore a season) he is going to lose," he said.
Raina’s Family Attacked
While Suresh Raina himself is yet to make a statement, there have been reports that an attack on his family could be one of the reasons behind his decision to return to India.
Raina's 58-year-old uncle succumbed to fatal injuries sustained during an attack by armed robbers in a Punjab town.
A group of four members of the notorious 'Kale Kachhewala' gang had attacked the family while asleep on the terrace of their residence, police said. The incident occurred in Thariyal village near Madhopur in Pathankot district on the night of August 19. The robbers were armed with lethal weapons.
The cricketer's uncle was identified as Ashok Kumar, a government contractor who had sustained grievous head injuries during the assault. His 80-year-old mother Satya Devi, his wife Asha Devi, sons -- Apin and Kaushal - too suffered injuries, said the police.
It is learnt that Asha Devi, sister of Raina's father, is fighting hard for survival.
Positive Cases in CSK Camp
A press statement made by the BCCI on Saturday confirmed that 13 personnel involved in the IPL, including two unnamed players, tested positive for COVID-19. The BCCI didn't reveal the identities of the personnel or their team(s) but according to reports, a majority of the cases are from Chennai Super Kings contingent.
The news followed the formal announcement of Suresh Raina’s return to India that the team’s CEO KS Viswanathan confirmed on their social media handles. His statement however only said Raina had left for India due to ‘personal reasons’.
BCCI said they had conducted a total of 1,988 RT-PCR tests after all 8 teams landed in the UAE last week. Of this, 13 people had tested positive. They will now all go into a 14-day quarantine after which they can return to their teams if they test negative in two tests conducted 24 hours apart.
CSK’s mandatory 7 day quarantine was supposed to end on Friday but following the news of many in their contingent testing positive, the team extended their quarantine till Monday and are expected to step out for their first training session today.
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