Suresh Raina is like a “son” to him but Chennai Super Kings owner N Srinivasan on Wednesday said the senior batsman’s return to the side in this Indian Premier League season, after an unanticipated pullout, would be decided by the team management led by skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Raina had last week left the CSK camp in Dubai amid the rising Covid-19 cases but there was some controversy regarding an alleged breach of the bio-secure bubble, something the player has categorically denied.
Former BCCI and ICC chief Srinivasan was initially upset with Raina’s departure but softened his stance later. The player also seemed to have spoken to Srinivasan and called him a father figure besides indicating that he might come back.
CSK is my family too, Mahi bhai is very important to me: Raina reveals why he returned to India
“I have treated him like one (son). The reason for CSK’s success in IPL over the years is because of the fact that the franchise never poked its nose into cricketing matters. India Cements is running cricket since 1960s. I will always remain like that,” Srinivasan told PTI.
So, is he expecting Raina to be back in the United Arab Emirates to compete in IPL 2020?
“Look, please understand, that’s not my domain,” said Srinivasan. “We own a team, we own the franchise but we do not own players. Team is ours but players are not. I don’t own the players.”
For Srinivasan, the decision on Raina will lay with the team management, which means skipper Dhoni and CEO Kasi Viswanathan.
“I am not the cricket captain. I have never told them (team management) whom to play, whom to take in the auction, never. We have the greatest captain of all times. So, why shall I even interfere in cricketing matters?” Srinivasan said.
CSK have been three-time champions of the T20 league, shifted to the UAE this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
(With inputs from PTI)