“Gangsters killed the entire family”: Suresh Raina on sudden cancellation of IPL 2020 season

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend Suresh Raina has opened up on the much-discussed controversy of pulling out of the IPL 2020 season in the UAE. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Raina had traveled to the country with the rest of the players but opted out of the season before the start of the season citing personal reasons and the COVID-19 bio-bubble arrangement. There were different opinions regarding Raina’s decision to step down. One such rumor claimed that Raina left the bio-bubble after being refused a hotel room with a balcony.

Addressing the rumours, Raina revealed that he withdrew from the tournament to spend time with his father and close ones after his relatives were killed in Punjab.

“There was mourning in the family, I went to Punjab. There were deaths in my uncle’s family. Kachha gangs…who come with oil applied on the body. A group of gangsters killed the entire family, my grandmother was also there.” This happened in Pathankot. That’s why I went there. But there was a bio-bubble in the IPL, where you could not come back. My father was very upset when the Kachcha gang did what they did. “I thought cricket comes after this, I can play anytime, first of all, my family is important,” Raina said during an interaction at Lallantop.

Raina further revealed that the situation at home was chaotic and the ongoing pandemic has made the situation even worse.

“Yes, I told this to MS Dhoni and the team management. Family comes first. Then I returned, we played the 2021 season. We won the trophy. But last year, there was turmoil in the family. They all already Was depressed because of Covid-19 and then this happened, I thought I should go home and be with my family.”

After missing the 2020 season, Raina returned to CSK the next year and helped them win the title.

This proved to be his last season as at the end of the same year he decided to announce his retirement from all forms of the game.