Suresh Raina: India's Most Underrated Cricketer

The success of any cricket team relies on versatile players, players who can rescue a sinking batting lineup, make astonishing catches, and contribute crucial wickets with their bowling. Their contributions may go under the radar and such players may be underrated in a lot of aspects but the value they add to the team cannot be understated. And such a player is a dream to have in any team. The Indian Cricket Team in the past few decades has tried to bring up many youngsters who could play such roles and be the backbone of the team, but none has ever been able to replace Suresh Raina. Raina was a man with a quiet demeanor but a cricketing prowess that spoke volumes. With his unassuming personality off the field and his explosive batting and exceptional fielding skills on it, he was a force to be reckoned with when at his best, playing both for the Indian Team and the Chennai Super Kings.

Credit: ICC Cricket World Cup

So, in this Article by ZAP, let’s dive into the life and career of the Chinna Thala, the man with a smile on his face always, Suresh Raina. 

Childhood and Early Career:

Suresh Raina was born on November 27, I986, in Muradnagar, Uttar Pradesh and from a very young age had cricket running through his veins. To take his game to the next level, he moved on from his hometown to Guru Gobind Singh Sports College in Lucknow. At just 15 and a half years old, he caught the eye of Indian selectors during the U-19 tour of England in 2002, where he impressed with a couple of half-centuries. He made his Ranji Trophy Debut for Uttar Pradesh only at age of 16 years old and later represented many various Indian side, like the U-17 and and U-19 teams. His standout moment came in the 2004 U-19 World Cup when he scored a blazing 90 off just 38 balls, earning him a Border-Gavaskar scholarship to the Australian Cricket Academy. 

Suresh Raina’s International Career:

Raina's dream of playing for the Indian national team came true in 2005 when he made his One Day International (ODI) debut against Sri Lanka and went on to play 18 Tests, 226 ODIs, and 78 T20Is. Suresh Raina made his Test Cricket debut in July 2010 against Sri Lanka, five years after his ODI debut, and scored a hundred in his first ever test match. He was a prolific run-scorer in all three formats of the game scoring 768 runs in Tests, 5615 runs in ODIs, and 1605 runs in T20Is.

Credit: The Times of India

He played in the lower middle order as an explosive batsman  but his versatility and a reliability as a fielder made him a crucial part of the Indian team. He too was a key member of the Indian team that won the 2011 Cricket World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. He made his T20 debut against South Africa on 1 December 2006 and if there’s one format that Suresh Raina owned then that is T20s. He was a different beast in the shortest format of the game and one of India’s best player in the 2010s in the format. In the 2010 ICC T20 World Cup, he smashed a century against South Africa, and became the first Indian to score a 100 in all three formats of the game. 

Raina as the Captain of the Indian Cricket Team:

Credit: India.Com

Raina had become an important figure in the dressing room because of his performances and his personality. He had good leadership qualities and has even led India in various series. He led the team to a T20 series win against Zimbabwe in 2010, when Dhoni was out due to an injury. He even impressed during the West Indies tour in 2011 when regular captains were unavailable. His leadership was again on display in the 2014 Bangladesh series, where he guided a young Indian team to a 2-0 victory. In the 2nd ODI against Bangladesh, India defended a mere total of 104 by dismissing Bangladesh for a poor 54 runs. This match saw Stuart Binny bowling one of the best spells ever picking up 6 wickets and giving away only 4 runs and ending with figures of 6-4. 

Suresh Raina International Career Stats:

Credit: SportsCafe.in

Format	Matches	Runs	Batting Average	Batting Strike Rate	Catches (Ct)	Wickets
Tests	18	768	26.48	53.14	23	13
ODIs	226	5615	35.31	93.50	102	36
T20Is	78	1605	29.18	134.87	42	13

Suresh Raina’s Batting Style, Bowling and Fielding Ability:

Credit: Circle of Cricket

The last thing the opposition would want is to face an in form Suresh Raina. He could put up a rapid 40–50 runs in the death overs, bowl a few cheap overs and with his fielding, save vital runs for his team. He was a limited over maestro but always struggled against short pitched deliveries. The opposition, internationally as well and in domestic tournaments tried to exploit his weaknesses, for which he was criticized heavily. Despite the short ball challenge, mid wicket was his favourite fielding region to score runs against. His pull shots, flicks and slog sweeps were a thing of beauty. On top of these, his trademark inside out over the top is one of the best cricket shots you’ll ever see being played. With the ball too, his off spin always turned out to be useable as he picked up some important wickets when needed. One of his best abilities was his fielding. His lightning reflexes and ability to be a sensation at any fielding position made him one of the best fielders ever. Even the great Jonty Rhodes commented by saying that Raina is the best fielder in the world according to him. 

You too can become an all round versatile player, here are the skills that you need to master:

Batting Tips and Techniques | Bowling Tips and Techniques | Fielding Tips | Wicket Keeping Tips and Techniques

Chinna Thala: Suresh Raina and CSK in the IPL:

Credit: Wisden

Suresh Raina, referred to as "Mr. IPL," is well and truly an Indian Premier League (IPL) Legend. Over the years, he has been the talisman for the Chennai Super Kings. His synergy with Thala, MS Dhoni has made them one of the best pairs of the tournament. He scored 400+ runs in nine out of the twelve seasons he played in the league and with 5,528 runs to his name, is one of the highest run-scorers in the competition. He had scored 38 fifties and one century while averaging 33.34, with a strike rate of 137.14 overall. Raina, who is frequently referred to as "Chinna Thala" by Tamil Nadu residents, is undoubtedly a franchise urban legend.

He was known for his reputation for never missing and IPL game and is the player with the most consecutive IPL matches played. In fact, he didn't miss an IPL game until the ninth season, when his first child was born.

Suresh Raina IPL Stats:

Year	Matches Played	Team	Runs Scored	Highest Score	100s	50s	Wickets Taken	Catches Taken (Ct)
2008	16	CSK	421	55*	0	3	1	10
2009	14	CSK	434	98	0	2	7	7
2010	16	CSK	520	83*	0	4	6	10
2011	16	CSK	438	73*	0	4	4	4
2012	19	CSK	441	73	0	1	2	11
2013	18	CSK	548	100*	1	4	1	10
2014	16	CSK	523	87	0	5	1	11
2015	17	CSK	374	62	0	2	2	11
2016	15	GL	399	75	0	3	0	7
2017	14	GL	442	84	0	3	1	4
2018	15	CSK	445	75*	0	4	0	9
2019	17	CSK	383	59	0	3	0	7
2021	12	CSK	160	54	0	1	0	7
Career	205		5528	100*	1	39	25	108

Suresh Raina Retirement from International Cricket and IPL:

Credit: Hindustan Times

After fitness issues, he no longer was a regular for the national side and played his final series in 2018 against South Africa. Though he kept playing the domestic tournaments, he just wasn’t as good as he had been all his career. Injuries also were an issue. Suresh Raina's retirement from international cricket came on August 15, 2020 just minutes after Mahendra Singh Dhoni announced his retirement. In a heartfelt Instagram post, Raina expressed his admiration for Dhoni and his deep connection to the Indian team, saying, "It was nothing but lovely playing with you, @mahi7781. With my heart full of pride, I choose to join you in your journey. Thank you India. Jai Hind." The synchronized hanging up of boots broke hearts of billions of Indians, who shed countless tears for the memories they had of the two greats. 

In the IPL 2020 season which had moved to Dubai, Raina pulled out of the tournament as he did not like CSK’s treatment towards the players and living in the Covid Bubble woud be too difficult mentally. Then he returned back in the 2021 season and was far from his best. He was way past his usual best. He scored 160 in the 2021 season and was a part of the team that won their 4th IPL Trophy. But then the unimaginable happened, CSK did not pick Suresh Raina up from the 2022 Mega Auction. Soon he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket and now works as a cricket expert on various channels. 

Suresh Raina’s Remarkable Innings, Achievements and Records:

Credit: Cricket Addictor

Records:

1. First Indian player to score 6000 runs in his Twenty20 career.
2. First Indian player to score 8000 runs in his Twenty20 career.
3. First Indian player to score a century in International T20.
4. First Indian player to score a century in Champions League Twenty20.
5. First cricketer ever to reach 5,000 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
6. Holds the record for the most number of catches (107) in the IPL.
7. Second player after Chris Gayle and the first Indian player to hit 100 sixes in the IPL.
8. Highest run-scorer in the Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) with 842 runs.
9. Holds the record for scoring the most fifties (50s) in Champions League T20 history with 6 fifties.
10. Holds the record for the most runs scored in the powerplay in an IPL match.

Read About some more Cricket Records:

Most Runs in all formats | Most Sixes in all formats | Most Centuries in all formats | Most Wickets in All formats 

Achievements:

1. Part of the Indian cricket team that won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011.
2. Played a key role in the Chennai Super Kings' IPL victories from 2010 to 2021.
3. Consistently performed as a reliable middle-order batsman for both the Indian national team and his IPL franchise.
4. Known for his exceptional fielding skills and agility, contributing to his high number of catches.
5. Recognized as one of the most versatile and consistent T20 batsmen in Indian cricket history.

Notable Innings:

Suresh Raina’s 87 off 25:

Scoring more than 200 in the IPL Qualifiers 2 against a mighty Kings XI Punjab, S. Raina produced one of the greatest knocks ever in the IPL. He scored a blistering 87 runs of just 25 deliveries. Only a run out could stop him from playing one of the greatest knocks in a run chase ever. The innings was a masterclass of powerhitting and aggression, and to replicate anything like that would require a herculean effort.

Hundred Against South Africa:

Scored an unbeaten century (101*) for India in a T20 International against South Africa in 2010.

100 vs KXIP in IPL 2013:

His 100* against Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2013 was not only his first IPL century but also one of the most memorable innings in IPL history.

2011 World Cup Quarter Finals and Semi Finals innings: 

In the 2011 World Cup Quarter Final vs Australian Cricket Team, he scored a crucial 34 runs off 28 balls and his partnership won us the match. He played a heroic knock in a semi final against Pakistan and scored 36 runs with the tailender and helped us reach a total of 260 runs against our arch rivals.

Conclusion:

Suresh Raina was one of India's finest middle order batsman, a department where India has kept struggling in the recent years. He is the kind of player who would be very difficult to replace. Both, the CSK and the Indian Team fans miss his innocence and smile on the pitch, and the menace he was with the bat. With the likes of Tilak Varma coming up, people say that we have found a player who could be our next Raina, but will it turn out true...only time will tell!

Now that you've read about Suresh Raina, here are some other cricket legends we recommend you read about:

Sachin Tendulkar | Virat Kohli | Shane Warne | AB de Villiers | Kumar Sangakkara