Former Indian batter Suresh Raina has been one of the finest to have played the game of cricket. He was a perfect team man as his ability to chip with bat, ball and even in the field put the team in a strong position many times before he called time on his international career on 15th August 2020 minutes after MS Dhoni announced his retirement. Not only did he prove out to be a vital cog in the Indian team but is a legend of the Indian Premier League as well.
Known as “Mr IPL” Suresh Raina is one of the main reasons behind the success of the IPL. Since the inception of the league, the southpaw played many famous knocks and was one of the mainstays for the Chennai Super Kings. Apart from Dhoni, Raina deserves equal credit for the success of the franchise. Being among the highest run-getters in the league, he called time on his career after going unsold in the IPL 2022 auction.
“Mai Shahid Afridi nai hu,” Suresh Raina’s hilarious reply to a reporter asking him to come out of retirement and play in IPL
Raina, who now plays T20 leagues across the globe, is currently a part of the India Maharajas in the ongoing Legends League Cricket Masters tournament in Doha, Qatar. He was the top performer for his side in their recent game against World Giants.
Maharaja’s batters struggled to get going but Raina came to the rescue and played a brisk knock. He scored 49 off 41 deliveries that helped his side post a total of 136 runs, which at one moment seemed difficult. The batter smashed 2 fours and 3 sixes in his innings and was the lone warrior for his side with second best contribution coming from Manvinder Bisla, 36.
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Raina also chipped in with the ball as he picked the wicket of Chris Gayle, who smashed a staggering half-century. Despite his all-round performance in the game, he failed to win the game for his side. While he was the top performer for his team on the field, his best came in the press conference.
After the game, Raina was asked by a reporter whether he might return to professional cricket after his performance in the game as many are eager to see him in the IPL again. Replying to this, he showed great humour and gave a savage response, saying: “I’m Suresh Raina, not Shahid Afridi! I’ve taken the retirement.”
Here’s the video:
Suresh Raina – a prolific run-getter in IPL
Suresh Raina has been a prolific run-getter in the tournament. He made his debut for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2008 and was an integral part of the team. The former Indian batter captained Gujarat Lions in IPL 2016 and 2017 and returned back to the MS Dhoni-led side in 2018 and played a key role in his side’s title-winning triumph. Suresh Raina, who is CSK’s highest run-scorer, is also the fifth-highest run-getter in IPL cricket. The left-hander had amassed 5528 runs at an average of 32.51 and a strike rate of 135.
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