‘I love CSK but jab desh ki baat aati hai…’: Robin Uthappa slams IPL franchise for offering Rachin Ravindra practice facilities | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Former Indian batter Robin Uthappa slammed Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for providing New Zealand’s rising star Rachin Ravindra with training facilities ahead of their three-match series against India.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, the ex-CSK cricketer voiced his concerns after Ravindra trained at the CSK Academy ahead of his impressive performances against India, including a century and a half-century in the Test series.
While acknowledging his love and respect for the Chennai-based franchise, Uthappa emphasized that national interest should come first.
Uthappa said, “CSK is a beautiful franchise that always supports its players, but a line has to be drawn where the country’s interest comes before franchise loyalty, especially when it involves a foreign player coming to train and then competing against us.”
“I am not surprised that CSK always go over and above for their players but somewhere in that kindness, maybe I am not saying the right thing, I absolutely love CSK, but when it comes to the country, there should be a line somewhere where we do not cross that line,” he further added.
Ravindra, with deep-rooted ties to India through his Bengaluru-born father, gained familiarity with Indian pitches and conditions through his training stints, including time spent at the CSK Academy.

Ravindra’s training with CSK involved intense practice sessions on challenging surfaces under extreme weather conditions.
“I was lucky enough, the CSK guys sorted me with 4-5 good days of training on red and black soil wickets. That helped me sort of shore up some game plans and work on a few positions that I wanted to,” Ravindra said following his sessions with CSK.
The situation brings to light a unique question about franchise responsibilities versus national priorities in the world of modern cricket.
India now face the challenge of regrouping before a demanding series against Australia starting on November 22 in Perth.