Report- Suresh Raina Withdrew From The IPL Due To Covid-19 Fear

Suresh Raina, former Indian middle-order batsman, sent shockwaves around the cricketing folklore when it emerged that the southpaw has left CSK’s bio-secure bubble in the United Arab Emirates and that he would not take any further part in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League.

The Chennai Super Kings management released a statement on Twitter where they mentioned that Raina has left the UAE due to personal reasons.

Suresh Raina has returned to India for personal reasons and will be unavailable for the remainder of the IPL season. Chennai Super Kings offers complete support to Suresh and his family during this time.

KS Viswanathan
CEO

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) August 29, 2020

However, if a report in Times of India is to be believed, Suresh Raina decided to leave the UAE due to the fear of proliferation of Covid-19 after fellow teammates- Deepak Chahar and Rururaj Gaekwad- tested positive along with ten other (non-player) participants.

Also Read- Breaking News: Suresh Raina Pulls Out Of IPL 2020 Due To Personal Reasons

“He just couldn’t take it anymore”- Source on Suresh Raina

According to a source quoted by TOI, Raina was gripped with fear and anxiety and even though the likes of Stephen Fleming and MS Dhoni tried explaining things to him, nothing worked out.

And, ultimately it was decided to let go of the southpaw.

“On Friday night, in fact, there was a huge ruckus. He tried calling all his teammates, coach (Stephen Fleming), skipper (MS Dhoni) again and again to share his concerns. MS, in fact, also tried explaining things to him but nothing worked. He was badly psyched up and worried. Eventually, everybody else realised there was no point holding him (back) from travelling back because he was totally gripped by fear,” a source told TOI.

“He just couldn’t take it anymore and refused to be calmed down,” sources say.

“CSK did an excellent job in not trying to hold him back. They tried talking to him for some time but eventually realised the best thing would be to let Suresh leave. Gripped by that kind of fear, he wouldn’t be at peace. It was better for him to be with his family,” those in the know added.

The Chennai Super Kings will now have to fins a replacement for their most prolific batsman for the 13th edition, which is set to kickstart from September 19.

Also Read- Suresh Raina’s Uncle Killed, Aunt Critical After Pathankot House Attack: Report