Suresh Raina announced his retirement from international cricket on Saturday. The cricketer took to Instagram to make the announcement, which was preceded by MS Dhoni announcing his retirement.
“It was nothing but lovely playing with you, @mahi7781. With my heart full of pride, I choose to join you in this journey. Thank you India. Jai Hind!” Raina posted on his official Instagram account.
The 33-year-old is among the few who scored centuries across formats having played 18 Tests, 226 ODIs and 78 T20 Internationals with nearly 8000 international runs.
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Born in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, Raina made his ODI debut for Team India during the Sri Lanka tour in 2005 and his T20I debut the next year against South Africa in Johannesburg.
A mainstay of India’s limited overs squad during the peak of his career, one of his best moments was a crucial unbeaten knock in a tricky World Cup quarter-final against Australia during the triumphant 2011 campaign.
Chasing 261 against a formidable Aussie bowling lineup, Raina provided stability and assurance in his 28-ball 34 as he partnered the eventual man of the match, Yuvraj Singh to a victory for team India.
He was also part of India’s Champions Trophy winning side in 2013.
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His exploits in the Indian Premier League (IPL) are more noteworthy, however, with Raina having established himself as one of the greatest players in the competition’s history.
The southpaw’s mammoth total of 5,368 runs bettered only by Virat Kohli and with three IPL titles to his name, Raina has established himself as an integral and indispensable part of the Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) squad over the years.
He has also chipped in with handy part-time bowling performances and is always an energetic presence in the field.
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Raina has not played competitive cricket for a year now, with a knee injury ruling him out of IPL 2019. He also missed the 19/20 domestic season after a surgery last year.
He is expected to feature in CSK’s IPL 2020 campaign in the UAE.
