Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina. Photo Credit: Getty Images.

After InsideSport, quoted an anonymous source claiming that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have identified premier England T20I batsman Dawid Malan as the replacement for Suresh Raina, the franchise has rubbished the claims. CSK have no slot left to accommodate an extra foreign player and thus it cannot be the case.

CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan clarified to news agency ANI that they can’t their foreign slot is full. According to the guidelines, a franchise is not allowed to have in excess of eight foreign players. CSK have filled in the numbers with Shane Watson. Lungi Ngidi, Imran Tahir, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Santner, Dwayne Bravo, Faf du Plessis and Sam Curran in their ranks.

CSK Rubbishes Report Of Identifying Dawid Malan As Suresh Raina Replacement
Dawid Malan. Credit: Getty Images

“This is news to me as well because our quota of foreign players is already full. So I don’t know how we can have another foreigner in the squad,” he said.

Meanwhile, Raina had hinted that he wants to return to join the CSK squad. However, the final decision to include him back in the squad rests in the hands of the franchise captian MS Dhoni.

IPL 2019, Chennai Super Kings, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni
Suresh Raina. Credit: BCCI

Raina had also cleared the air surrounding his departure from Chennai Super Kings (CSK) camp ahead of the IPL 2020. Raina rubbished the reports of his rift with anyone and said that he shares a ‘father and son’ relationship with CSK boss N Srinivasan. He also indicated that it was largely due to the attack on his family in Pathankot that made him take the decision.

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Raina’s aunt and cousin were left with several injuries. His bua is critically injured and while his cousin passed away. He had asked the Punjab police to intervene in the matter. The former India cricketer has also cleared now that CSK and MS Dhoni are like family to him and it was a tough decision to make for him.