Top 5 Mispriced, yet crucial knocks by Suresh Raina
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It is safe to say that Suresh Raina is a stalwart of the Indian Premier League. A southpaw batsman who emerged from the league and flourished onto the international stage with a blistering pace. Raina wasn’t a player who was taken lightly by any team as he scored centuries in all the three formats.
Raina once held the record for most runs in T20 internationals for India; most runs and most catches in IPL’s history. Interestingly, he has still managed to cling onto the last record as of today. Not only that, Raina saved a lot of runs for the team with amazing efforts on the field, also he chipped in with a decent number of overs when main bowlers had a rough day.
Having said that, here is a list Raina’s most underrated and non-appreciated knocks of all time
2009 vs New Zealand 1st ODI
India was hoping to put up a good show in the ODIs following the T20 series debacle in New Zealand. Going into the series, New Zealand had great confidence. Batting first, the kiwi’s scored 273. However, courtesy to rain, the match was reduced to 38 overs. India found themselves in a pickle when they lost a few quick wickets. In came Raina and played a stable yet attacking knock, scoring 66 runs off just 39 balls, alongside Dhoni.
Raina struck 4 sixes and bashed 5 boundaries in the process. India won that match and if it wasn’t for Raina, India would have not stepped past the line.
2006 vs England 2nd ODI
England scored a below-par 226 on a spinning and low bounce wicket. India played the initial over well, but Sehwag and Gambhir collapsed, Indian middle-order flopped as well with the side reeling on 92/5. The two batsmen on crease were Dhoni and Raina. Raina was only 19-years-old, it was so impressive to see the youngster control his natural ability and stick around to score his maiden half-century.
Once he was settled, he started playing his natural game dispatching the ball into the crowd. He hit 8 boundaries and a maximum remaining unbeaten on 81 off 89 balls. Helping India clinch the victory.
2014 vs England 2nd ODI
India’s tour to England in 2014 was not so memorable for the team. Raina did not make it to the Test squad earlier in the tour, however, in the first ODI itself, Raina scored a memorable century, consisting of 12 boundaries as well as 3 sixes. Another partnership by Dhoni and Raina contributing to India’s victory by 133 runs.
Raina scored his 1st half century in 49 balls, but when he gathered the perfect shape, the next 50 came in at a strike rate of 150.
2015 vs Pakistan Pool Stage, 4th Match (World Cup)
An encounter with arch-rivals Pakistan is always more than a game, it’s an emotion. Batting 1st, India scored 300. Everyone memorizes that game and considers Kohli’s century as the major point. However, Raina’s 56 balls 74 in such a condition, when Dhawan and Rohit collapsed, gave India a boost towards the end.
India has never lost to Pakistan in a world cup match, and neither did Raina and Kohli let that happen this time around as well.
2011 vs Pakistan Semi-Final (World Cup)
Another World Cup encounter, stakes were high in the semi-finals. India were the host nations and had to prove their domination to reach to the finals. Although, India played well from the start, it came down to Raina as they needed a flourish to get the momentum going.
Raina came in at No.7 when India were reeling at 187/5, he scored 36 runs in 39 balls with tailenders around and made sure India post a fighting 260 runs on the board. His knock proved crucial in the end as maintaining the record, India won the match by 29 runs.
Also Read: Dhoni and Raina retire: Their 5 best partnerships for India
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Yakshpat Bhargava
(3989 Articles Published)