Twists and turns to the story behind Raina's departure from the IPL

By K.R. Nayar

Chennai Super Kings' superstar Suresh Raina’s sudden decision to fly to India without playing in the Indian Premier League is now a good script for a detective story. Ever since the IPL has had a Bollywood flavour every time, there has never been a shortage of drama. There were reports about Raina throwing a tantrum and co-owner N. Srinivasan then making a stern statement. Now there seems to be a U-turn.

Raina and Dhoni ...are they still friends?

You need to be a Sherlock Holmes to find out why Suresh Raina rushed back to India on August 29 and the number of stories emerging out of this incident.  Within ten days of arrival in UAE, Raina is said to have felt homesick and concerned about his family back home and has taken the trip back home. For a cricketer like Raina who has for the most part of his professional career lived out of his suitcase travelling the length and breadth of the world, to go through such a sudden change felt a bit strange. However, many felt that the fear of Coronavirus could have worried him as it has happened to many. But for a cricketer who came to the UAE to play the prestigious Indian Premier League (IPL) to fly back silently without making a personal statement was bound to get journalists as well the ordinary cricket fan write their own script.

There are reports that Raina was upset with the room that was allotted to him in the hotel. Apparently, although like EM Foster’s novel it was a ‘Room with a view’, unfortunately, it had no balcony. His request for a room with a balcony, like the one given to his captain and dear friend Mahendra Singh Dhoni, is said to have been turned down.

The reports looked genuine because Raina being one of the highest run-getters of the IPL, may have wanted to inhale and exhale freely from the balcony to play his strokes freely without feeling claustrophobic.

Raina is known to be a media-friendly person, but in this instance, he remained silent. This got people wondering whether it was the guilt of letting his team down, especially when CSK was looking forward to his brilliant fielding and sixes to win matches, or it was a personal reason that could not be disclosed.

N. Srinivasan - co-owner of Chennai Super Kings 

Then everything took a dramatic turn when the co-owner of Chennai Super Kings and once the kingmaker of Indian cricket,  N. Srinivasan, gave a statement to Outlook, a magazine in India, that “Cricketers are like prima donnas ... like the temperamental actors of the olden days. Chennai Super Kings has always been like a family and all senior players have learned 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." Now there are media reports with Srinivasan claiming that his above statements were taken out of context.

Challenging times for Chennai Super Kings 

All these make the whole issue as mysterious as the Coronavirus itself. Srinivasan, in a statement to Times of India, has now said: “It is important to understand what Suresh is going through right now and give him space". In fact, Srinivasan’s statement about  “success going into one’s head” was rather strange.  For Raina, who has not been considered to play for India since 2018, to have success going into his head, seemed out of place.
 
Chennai’s off spinner Harbhajan Singh is said to have delayed his trip to UAE for personal reasons. As of now, this has not been given a different twist.  However, there are questions going around whether Harbhajan would be skipping the IPL.

Now the question is whether the story of a room without a balcony is the real reason for Raina’s departure, or is that a media creation? Let us hope the Raina-Dhoni friendship has not flown out of the window from a room without a balcony, and that this incident was merely to add more spice to a thrilling script.