Former Indian cricketer and CSK champion Suresh Raina shared insights into his journey with the Chennai Super Kings, shedding light on various speculations and rumors that circulated during his illustrious tenure with the Indian Premier League franchise.
From addressing the spot-fixing saga to dispelling rumors surrounding his withdrawal from the IPL 2020 season, Raina provided clarity on numerous controversies that surrounded CSK during his time with the team.
Suresh Raina Revealed Details Of How CSK Was Caught In The Spot-Fixing Scandal
Suresh Raina recently shared insights into the IPL 2013 spot-fixing scandal, which resulted in the suspension of the Chennai Super Kings for two years. Raina disclosed that the players were taken aback upon learning the details of the scandal and confirmed that none of them were involved in it.
The suspension of CSK and Rajasthan Royals for two years (2016 and 2017) due to their association with the spot-fixing controversy remains one of the biggest controversies in IPL history. During this period, Raina captained the now-defunct Gujarat Lions, while MS Dhoni played for Rising Pune Supergiant.
However, the duo reunited at CSK in 2018 and played pivotal roles in leading the team’s successful comeback. Their partnership inspired CSK’s triumphant run in the IPL, highlighting their resilience and leadership qualities amidst adversity. He revealed:
“We were players, we didn’t know what happened. Then in 2016, I went, I was the captain of Gujarat. he went to Pune. Whatever happened, it must have been owner vs owner. No, we, the players, were unaware of anything, our phones are taken away during the matches. As players, we can’t do anything,” Raina said.
“Anti-corruption is very strong in India. You can’t even think about it. You will be jailed. Nothing was proved (Rajasthan players banned for spot-fixing). But every player has his way. My motivation was always playing for the nation.”
He added: “When we got to know about it, we were shocked. We were playing the final against MI. We were banned for 2 years. When we came back, we won it. We were missing it.”
“Some people were saying it was an old men’s army. But, all the oldies came out swinging their swords. Our top 6 performed well. All of them, I think, scored over 500. Dad’s Army. We were all with our daughters,” he added.
