N Srinivasan, head of India Cements which owns the Chennai Super Kings franchise, clarified that his comments about Suresh Raina were taken out of context and emphasized that the franchise will strongly support the player in difficult times.
“The franchise will always be by his side and he has our full support during these times of trouble,” Srinivasan told the Times of India.
“Raina’s contribution to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise is second to none and it is unfortunate that people are trying to put two and two together to drive a wedge. Her contribution to the CSK franchise has been phenomenal over the years.
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“It’s important to understand what Suresh is going through right now and give him space.”
On Sunday, Outlook quoted Srinivasan as saying: “Cricketers are like prima donnas … like temperamental actors from the old days. Chennai Super Kings have always been like a family and all the older players have learned to coexist.
“My thought is that if you are reluctant or unhappy, come back. I don’t force anyone to do anything … sometimes success gets into your head.
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“I spoke with MS (Dhoni) and he has assured me that even if the numbers go up, there is nothing to worry about. He spoke to the players via a zoom call and asked them to stay safe. You really don’t know who a Passive bearer. The season has yet to start and Raina will certainly realize what she is missing and certainly all the money (a salary of Rs 11 crore per season) that she is going to lose. “
Srinivasan made the same point on Monday saying that he meant that cricketers remain at the forefront of his plans.
“These guys are family,” he said. “They have been family for over a decade. When I said ‘cricketers are like prima donnas,’ it was not in a negative sense. A prima donna is the lead singer of an opera. Similarly, cricketers they are always at the forefront of an exercise like this. “
Raina had left the United Arab Emirates for India on Saturday for what the franchise called “personal reasons.” CSK’s official Twitter account had announced Raina’s departure from the United Arab Emirates while saying that “CSK offers full support to Suresh and her family during this time.” Reports emerged that Raina was feeling claustrophobic in the biosecurity bubble, especially with 13 members of the CSK tour testing positive for COVID-19.
Outlook also reported that Raina had a dispute with the team management over her hotel room facilities.
Suresh Raina has returned to India for personal reasons and will not be available for the remainder of the IPL season. Chennai Super Kings offers full support to Suresh and his family during this time.
KS Viswanathan
CEO
– Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) August 29, 2020
Raina has played 164 games for CSK, four more than MS Dhoni’s 160, and is their best player in history.
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