Former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Suresh Raina talked about his withdrawal from the IPL 2020 which was held in UAE amidst the Covid pandemic. While nothing was confirmed, reports had stated that Suresh Raina was not happy with his hotel room in Dubai, as it didn’t have any balcony.
Raina traveled to the UAE with his CSK squad for the IPL 2020, but withdrew before the event, citing personal reasons and reservations about the bio-bubble arrangements. Raina's withdrawal occurred after numerous CSK players and support staff tested positive for Covid-19.
Later it was revealed that Suresh Raina left Dubai to be with his family as his relatives had been murdered in Punjab during a robbery attempt.
Recently in an interview with Lallantop, Raina refuted the rumors of him not liking the hotel room with the balcony and hence he left the IPL 2020.
"There was bereavement in the family. In my uncle's family, there were deaths. A group of gangsters killed the entire family. It happened in Pathankot. So I went there. But there was a bio-bubble in the IPL, where you couldn't return. My father was very upset. When the Kachche gang did what they did, my entire family was in stress. I thought cricket came next, I could play anytime, first, my family was important.
Yes, I told this to MS Dhoni and the team management. Then I returned, and we played the 2021 season. We won the trophy. But the previous year, the family was in chaos. They were all in depression already due to Covid-19 and then this happened. I thought I should go home and be with my family,” Raina said on Lallantop.
"Definitely (a statement that bio-bubbles weren't safe). The virus was everywhere. Everybody was getting tested for Covid-19. Everybody was getting tested every day. I couldn't go back because of the bio-security bubble. You have to be in isolation for 15 days before coming back. After that, you have to be tested. So I had to be in the hotel for 30 days. So, I thought it was not practical," he added, explaining his statement about the safety of bio-bubbles.
Raina also revealed the moment he saw MS Dhoni really angry. He said that when CSK lost Qualifier 2 to Punjab Kings in IPL 2014 in Mumbai, MS Dhoni was so upset that he slammed his helmet and gear in the dressing room and gave an earful to the squad.
“I'll do everything I can to be on that flight”: Dinesh Karthik keen to play T20 World Cup 2024
"I have never seen Dhoni that angry. He vented it out after that match. He was like 'We don't score runs, we don't do this, that'. He threw his pads and helmet in the dressing room. He was irritated that we lost a match that we should have won. He was angry because we lost a match that we shouldn't have. Otherwise, we would have won the IPL that year as well," Raina said.
Earlier, Virender Sehwag had made 122 in 58 balls to power Punjab to 226/6 in 20 overs. Raina had played an all-time great knock of 87 from 25 balls as CSK was tasked with chasing down a 227-run target.
"I felt like a man possessed. The previous day, I had a dream that I would do something special. I was seeing the ball like a football. But, I was run out. The ball hitting the bat gave me a very different sound. I was feeling like no one could stop me," Raina added.
(India Today inputs)
