“Suresh Raina will realise what he is missing,” says CSK owner N Srinivasan

Suresh Raina leaving Chennai Super Kings camp before the IPL began has churned out a new controversy. While the cricketer has not disclosed any reason for deserting his CSK family, many speculations are floating around. CSK owner and former BCCI president N Srinivasan has added a fresh angle to the controversy by saying that Raina did not want to adjust to the accommodations.

Speaking to the Outlook magazine, Srinivasan revealed, “The season has not begun yet and Raina will certainly realise what he is missing and certainly all the money he is going to lose.”

“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. 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,” the senior administrator added.

Along with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Raina has been a key member of the CSK squad since inception. Apart from the two years in which CSK were suspended, the left-hand batsman has played all his IPL matches in the Yellow Jersey. He is also their leading run-getter and a part of their identity. Raina himself is yet to make any comments on these issues.

Raina’s absence is not the only problem to plague the CSK side. At least 10 of their team members including support staff were found to be positive for coronavirus. This has caused them to follow another week of quarantine in their hotels. However, Srinivasan was confident that the team will successfully tackle this issue in the coming days.

“I spoke to MS (Dhoni) and he has assured me that even if the numbers go up, there was nothing to worry about. He spoke to the players through a zoom call and asked them to remain safe. You really don’t know who is a passive carrier. I have got a solid captain. Dhoni is simply unfazed by anything. That is giving everyone in the team a lot of confidence,” Srinivasan told Outlook.