IPL 2021 – Suresh Raina : Suresh Raina is all set to return for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021). According to a report by Mumbai Mirror, one of the CSK official has told them that Raina will make a comeback for the Men in Yellow in IPL 2021.
“He will be with us. There are no plans to part with him,” Mumbai Mirror quoted a top CSK official as saying.
InsideSport independently could not verify the news. It is worth noting that if Raina is again picked by CSK – they will have to sign a new contract as the last contact between the southpaw and CSK has ended in October 2021 after Raina returned from UAE.
The official said the three-time champions are looking to have Raina on board again after a disappointing 7th-place finish in IPL 2020 without him.
Why Raina had pulled out of CSK in IPL 2020 ?
Raina had pulled out of IPL 2020 ahead of the start of the season, citing personal reasons. He had returned home from the UAE after COVID-19 cases emerged in the CSK camp in Dubai. However, some reports also claimed that Raina had a feud with the CSK team management over the hotel room he was allotted in Dubai.
Raina earlier this week was arrested from a Mumbai night club along with a host of other celebrities for violating COVID-19 rules. The CSK star was later released on bail. The former India batsman later in a statement, stated that he was not aware of the guidelines and timings issued by the Maharashtra government.
Reacting to Raina’s arrest, the CSK official maintained that the incident had nothing to do with the team’s plans for the IPL 2021 season and the left-hander will play for the three-time champions. “We have only read about the arrest. Our plans have nothing to do with that development. He will continue to be with us,” the franchise official was quoted by the paper.
Suresh Raina’s IPL Record
Raina has been part of the Chennai Super Kings side right from the inaugural season of IPL in 2008. He captained Gujarat Lions in the 2016 and 2017 seasons when CSK were banned from the IPL. He has been instrumental in CSK’s phenomenal success in the tournament, over the years and is the franchise’s top-scorer with 4527 runs for the three-time champions in IPL.
Highest Scores in IPL – 33 year old Raina is overall, the second-highest run-getter in IPL with 5368 in 193 games behind only RCB skipper Virat Kohli, who has 5878 runs in 192 games
Raina, who retired from international cricket earlier this year, has already declared that he will represent Uttar Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Twenty20 tournament.
India’s domestic T20 tournament Syed Mushtaq Ali will be conducted from 10th Jan to 31st. The tournament will be window for IPL franchises to gauge performances of the domestic hopefuls and recruit new talent in their teams. CSK will surely keep a eye on Raina’s performance in the tournament.