New Delhi Feb 15 :- Suresh Raina, who has been the backbone of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) was not picked by the franchise at the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction recently held in Bengaluru.
Towards the end of last season, Raina was dropped for Robin Uthappa and it looked like the former’s race was run. This auction confirmed that the left-hander going unsold. Raina is a CSK legend and every member of the franchise hugely respects his contribution. But this was an auction to move on.
“Raina has been the backbone of our team for the last 12 years. So it will take some time before we get a (proper) replacement,” CEO Kasi Viswanath has told The Indian Express.
The former India southpaw is the fourth-highest run-scorer in IPL history with 5,528 runs from 205 games. For CSK only, he has registered 4,687 runs.
“Raina has been one of the most consistent performers for CSK for the last 12 years. Of course, it was very difficult for us, not to have Raina but at the same time, you should also understand that the team composition depends on the form and kind of team which any team would like to have”, said Viswanath on CSK’s YouTube channel.
“So that’s one of the reasons why we thought he may not fit into this team,” he added.
The four-time champions returned from the auction with a very balanced squad, good enough to yet again contend for the title. CSK brought back some of their experienced players and backed it up with youth, with an eye to the future.
