On Wednesday, the owner of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), N Srinivasan said that he treated Suresh Raina like a “son”, but he feels that the latter’s comeback to the side this IPL season after an unanticipated pullout would be decided by the team management led by skipper MS Dhoni. Raina decided to come back to India as he left the CSK camp in Dubai after 13 COVID-19 cases, including national team seamer Deepak Chahar.

The former BCCI president had expressed thsi disagreement over Raina’s departure but now he has softened his stance. The player also seemed to have had a chat with Srinivasan and called him a father figure besides indicating that he might come back. 

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During a recent chat with PTI, Srinivasan said, “I have treated him like one (son). The reason for CSK’s success in IPL over the years is because of the fact that franchise never poked its nose into cricketing matters. I will always remain like that. Look, please understand, that that’s not my domain (whether Raina will come back or not) at all. We own a team, we own the franchise but we do not own players. Team is ours but players are not. I don’t own the players.”

For Srinivasan, the decision of Raina making a comeback will completely depend on the team management, which means skipper Dhoni and CEO KS Viswanathan. 

Explaining the same, Srinivasan said, “I am not the cricket captain. I have never told them (team management) whom to play, whom to take in the auction, never. We have the greatest captain of all times. So, why shall I even interfere in cricketing matters?” 

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CSK have been three-time champions in the high-profile league, shifted to UAE this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.