Ravindra Jadeja and Suresh Raina are a major part of Chennai Super Kings’ history. The two have contributed 2153 and 4687 runs, 119 and 24 wickets during their stints with the franchise. While the latter is not with the the four-time winners anymore, the former on Wednesday was ruled out for the remainder of IPL 2022 with a rib injury. 

Rumours of a rift between Ravindra Jadeja and Chennai Super Kings have been floating since about a week. The star all-rounder relinquished his captaincy after the leading the side for eight games this season, winning two. MS Dhoni came back as skipper. 

Also read: CSK and Ravindra Jadeja not on same page? Questions after Instagram split

Jadeja then liked a tweet against MS Dhoni and CSK before he was ruled out a match against the Delhi Capitals ‘due to an injury sustained in the game vs RCB’. The player unfollowed the team on social media and the team did the same to him. 

Only a day later, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan announced that Jadeja has been ruled out of the remainder of the IPL due to a rib injury.

“Ravindra Jadeja won’t be playing CSK’s next two games as he has suffered a rib cage injury. He has already gone home,” CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan told PTI.

Also read: Jadeja not a natural captain, Dhoni should lead CSK in 2023: Ravi Shastri

Now, was this Chennai Super Kings’ politics behind doors? Is Jadeja the new Raina?

Chatter on social media suggests that Jadeja has been sidelined like his former CSK colleague Suresh Raina. The latter had quit IPL 2021 mid-season amid reports suggesting that his relative was murder by robbers in Punjab’s Pathankot. 

However, media reports later suggested that Raina had left because he was unhappy with the room allotted to him in the hotel when CSK landed in Dubai. Two years later, Raina was not picked the team in the IPL 2022 mega-auction. 

Also read: How big a statement was Jasprit Bumrah’s show vs Kolkata Knight Riders?

“@ChennaiIPL @imjadeja First he steps down as captain next. He likes an tweet against csk and dhoni. Csk unfollows him on Instagram. He misses one match. Now is ruled out of the ipl. Politics going on behind close doors ??” a Twitter user pointed out.

“Can’t believe Jadeja’s entire career with CSK ended for losing 6 matches,” another one said.

Jadeja, who captained CSK in the first eight games, had a forgettable season as all he could manage was just 116 runs at an average of 20 in 10 games and only five wickets at an economy rate of 7.51.

While the official reason being given for Jadeja’s unavailability is injury, sources tracking developments in the CSK camp claimed that the all-rounder has been dropped.

CSK will play the Mumbai Indians on Thursday.