‘I have got a solid captain’ – N Srinivasan showing faith on MS Dhoni after CSK’s troubles before IPL 2020

N Srinivasan, the former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has pinned hopes on MS Dhoni to bail the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) out of trouble before the 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL). The Yellow Army landed in Dubai on August 21 after attending the five-day preparatory camp in Chennai, but thereafter, a number of their members were tested positive for COVID-19.

The likes of Ruturaj Gaekwad, Deepak Chahar and many others couldn’t evade the wrath of the deadly coronavirus. The same has also pushed CSK’s quarantine period until Sunday, September 6. On Dhoni, Srinivasan said that the 39-year-old skipper is oblivious of the chaos and has asked the players to remain safe.

MS Dhoni giving CSK team members confidence, says Srinivasan  

“I spoke to MS (Dhoni) and he has assured me that even if the numbers go up, there was nothing to worry about. He spoke to the players through a zoom call and asked them to remain safe. You really don’t know who is a passive carrier. I have got a solid captain. Dhoni is simply unfazed by anything. That is giving everyone in the team a lot of confidence,” Srinivasan was quoted as saying to Outlook.

In the meantime, Suresh Raina, on Saturday, August 29, pulled out of the tournament and returned back to India. Even as reports regarding the reasons behind it has been doing the rounds, nothing concrete has come to the fore.

“Cricketers are like prima donnas … like the temperamental actors of the olden days. Chennai Super Kings have always been like a family and all seniors players have learnt to co-exist. My thinking is that if you are reluctant or not happy, go back. I don’t force anyone to do anything … sometimes success gets into your head,” the 75-year-old added.

The 2020 IPL is scheduled to start on September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after being moved out of India. However, due to the hassles CSK have gone through, the BCCI is yet to release the full schedule. The rising number of COVID-19 cases in the UAE and the weather conditions there have also kept the board on its toes.