'Sometimes success gets into your head': CSK team owner N Srinivasan on Suresh Raina's exit

If MS Dhoni is the brain behind Chennai Super Kings, Suresh Raina is the heart of the team. Or was, before he decided to walk out of the upcoming IPL, unceremoniously. It was barely a few days after reaching UAE along with his team that Raina declared he would not be a part of IPL this year. His exit was quick and quiet but couldn't be digested so easily. The man, who has been with the team since its inception and given a lot to it, for Raina to leave behind CSK in a lurch was shocking, to say the least.

Soon after the news of his exit, unfortunate news of some of his family members being robbed also made headlines. In the scuffle, Raina's uncle even succumbed to his injuries. It was speculated that this was the 'personal reason' that may have forced him to come back to the country. But the latest reports suggest otherwise. An Outlook report says that Raina was not happy with the accommodation and wanted a similar room as Dhoni. He was also not happy with the bio-bubble concept and felt claustrophobic. The fact that Suresh's room didn't have a proper balcony like Dhoni's also contributed to his decision to back out. The report suggests that after the Covid – 19 breakout in 13 members of the CSK team, Raina's panic grew more and he made this hasty decision.

CSK team owner, N Srinivasan told Outlook, "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. I spoke to MS (Dhoni) and he has assured me that even if the numbers go up, there was nothing to worry. 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. The season has not begun yet and Raina will certainly realise what he is missing and certainly all the money (a salary of 11 crores per season) he is going to lose."