Former India international Suresh Raina turns35 today. Raina won the 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy during hisinternational career that spanned over a decade.
The left hander's energetic battingperformance was an essential cog in India's middle order for a long timeand he proved his worth by changing the course of the match in India'sfavour.
On 15 August 2020, Raina announced hisretirement from all formats of international cricket. He pulled from 2020Indian Premier League due to personal reasons.
The left-handed batsman and part-timeoff-spinner was part of several memorable victories with the Indian team,including the 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.
Let’s recall his top 5 memorable innings forTeam India:
101* vs South Africa at Gros Islet,2010
Raina braved the likes of Dale Steyn,Morne Morkel and Kallis to hit a century off just 60 balls in the ICC World T20in 2010. Before this innings, Raina had failed to perform up to his reputation.However, this innings changed everything for Raina and he became the firstIndian to score a hundred in all the three formats of the game.
81* vs England at Faridabad, 2006
This match was one of the first times Rainaand Dhoni got together to take India to victory. Playing England in aseven-match ODI series, India won the first game comfortably. The action thenshifted to Faridabad where the visitors won the toss and elected to bat first.But they couldn’t build on Kevin Pietersen’s 71 and were bowled out for just226. India, however, found themselves in deep trouble when they were reduced to92/5. But that’s when two young guns got together to take the hosts to victory.Dhoni got out for 38 for 55, with Raina remaining unbeaten on 81 off 89. It wasa remarkably mature innings by the 18-year-old
34* vs Australia at Ahmedabad, 2011
This again will raise several eyebrows but 34not out against Australia in the quarter-final of the 2011 World Cup wasone of the finest innings of Suresh Raina. It was a pressure match andwith 74 needed off 12 overs, could have gone either side. However, Rainastitched a crucial partnership with Yuvraj Singh and India won the match.
36* vs Pakistan at Mohali, 2011
In the semi-final of the 2011 World Cup aswell, Raina played a crucial hand for the Indian team. The hosts were in atricky position batting first when Tendulkar got out for 85 with the scorebeing 187/5 in 37 overs. Raina came out to the crease then and India needed himto stay till the end and provide a flourish in order to finish with a fightingtotal. And that’s exactly what he did. He batted with the tail and remainednot-out on 36 off 39 to help India get to 260/9. Pakistan eventually gotbowled-out for 231 and the difference between the two teams was 29 runs. Had itnot been for Raina’s innings, the outcome of the match could have been verydifferent.
49* vs Australia at Sydney, 2016
Chasing 197 in T20s that too against a teamlike Australia in Australia is not an easy task. However, Suresh Raina madesure it is done with his top innings of unbeaten 49. While Rohit Sharma andVirat Kohli laid the foundation with their respective fifties, it was Raina whokept India alive in the game and ensured victory.