Apprehensions about living in a lonely, biosecure environment with news from colleagues testing positive for Covid-19, combined with personal tragedy, are understood to be the reasons why Suresh Raina left Chennai Super Kings camp and headed for home from IPL 2020.
It emerged on Saturday morning, the day after an Indian international was confirmed to be among at least ten members of the Super Kings contingent who tested positive for the virus, that Raina was leaving so the team’s executive director , Kasi Viswanathan, called “personal reasons”. It is understood that Raina flew in from Dubai, where the Super Kings are staying, on Saturday. This occurred nine days since the touring group landed in Dubai to participate in the IPL, which is scheduled to be played in the United Arab Emirates between September 19 and November 10, although the final list of matches is not yet available. .
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Raina, who has a young family that includes two children, is believed to have told team management – Viswanathan, captain MS Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming – that he found it difficult to be “locked up” in his hotel room. Not just Raina, but several other members of the Super Kings contingent have been affected by the team’s hotel, which is located in a desolate part of town.
The other factor is that members of Raina’s extended family were attacked, and an uncle was reportedly killed on August 19 in Pathankot, northern India.
Raina’s decision apparently took Super Kings management by surprise, because they had recently pledged to help the team win its fourth IPL title. But she communicated to management that she was finding it difficult to stay in the bubble.
Before arriving in Dubai, Raina had experienced life in a bubble during the team’s six-day camp in Chennai on August 16-20.
In accordance with IPL standard operating procedures, all players and other members of the eight travel groups are required to undergo a mandatory six-day quarantine upon landing in the UAE, distancing must be practiced at all times, and players may not mix. . even with teammates during the course of the tournament. Having not played cricket since March, or even earlier in some cases, several players have admitted to having doubts about themselves, for example, KL Rahul, the captain of Kings XI Punjab, recently said that he had ‘nightmares’:’ What if may l?” t choose the line and the length of the ball? What if I slow down? What if I don’t have the same coverage drive as before? All these question marks were there, “he said.
While most teams began their training sessions on Friday and Saturday, the Super Kings, due to recent developments in their camp, will start only after September 1. While some teams have struggled to keep players motivated and positive. in the bubble – many teams are in hotels with private beaches, although not all have allowed their members to use the facilities yet – some teams have hired psychologists for the players, and others, to speak – Royal Challengers Bangalore even has a traveling psychologist with the team. And the Mumbai Indians are among the teams that allow players to travel with their teammates.
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