Raina returned after fight with Dhoni

CSK star was reportedly miffed at hotel room allotted to him

A day after Chennai Super Kings announced Suresh Raina’s surprise IPL pullout citing “personal reasons”, it has emerged that all is not well in the M.S. Dhoni-led team. According to reports, Raina was “unhappy” from the day CSK landed in the UAE because some of his “unreasonable demands” were unmet.

Apparently, the hotel room he was allotted was “inadequate” for him and

Raina wanted a suite similar to the one Dhoni had been provided with.

“He definitely hasn’t left the CSK camp on good terms. His demands were unreasonable,” a team source told this newspaper.

With news of the alleged rift, the initial speculation that Raina was worried about the murder of a relative in Pathankot on August 20 — two days before CSK reached the UAE — may not be true.

N. Srinivasan, the man behind Super Kings, said on Sunday that cricketers, sometimes, “act like prima donnas”. “…..like the temperamental actors of the olden days. Chennai Super Kings have always been like a family and all seniors players have learnt to co-exist,” the CSK team owner was quoted as saying.

“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,” Srinivasan added.

Srinivasan said Dhoni was “not worried at all”. “I spoke to MS (Dhoni) and he has assured me that even if the numbers go up, there was nothing to worry. He spoke to the players through a Zoom call and asked them to remain safe. “You really don’t know who is a passive carrier,” Srinivasan said.