Raina, who announced retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL) and domestic cricket on September 6, will be playing his first-ever season in ADT10. Raina will join the Deccan Gladiators squad and play alongside Andre Russell, Taskin Ahmed, Josh Little and David Wiese.
The four-time winner of the coveted IPL trophy, Raina has scored 5,528 runs in the league and played for the Chennai Super Kings, has also captained the Gujarat Lions in 2016-2017, scoring plenty of runs for them too. Raina, who is known as Mr IPL, has scored the most runs as a batter for the CSK franchise in the history of the tournament.
The former India cricketer was also a crucial part of the team that won the 2011 ODI World Cup in India, and has scored 5,615 runs from 226 games in the 50-over format and 1,605 runs in the T20I format while donning the national colours.
One of the cornerstones of many a success story for India, Raina said, "I am thrilled to be joining the Deccan Gladiators and hopefully together we will be able to retain the title this year. I have been looking forward to this new challenge in the Abu Dhabi T10 and hope to put on a show for the fans and my team. This promises to be an exciting tournament and I am very excited to be a part of it."
Abu Dhabi T10 COO Rajeev Khanna said, "The addition of Suresh Raina to the roster for the Abu Dhabi T10 is fantastic news. He not only contributes with his incredible cricketing ability and talent for the tournament but also brings along his wealth of experience and knowledge for his teammates. His presence will surely draw more fans to the be engaged with Season 6 of the Abu Dhabi T10."
Team Owner Gaurav Grover said, "Bringing on board a player of the calibre of Suresh Raina is a very exciting prospect for the Deccan Gladiators. He will definitely add a lot of ability to our batting set-up and we are banking on him to score a lot of runs. Suresh Raina's inclusion makes our side stronger, and we need as much of it as possible as we look to defend our title this year."
The sixth season of the Abu Dhabi T10 takes place between November 23 - December 4. The Gladiators play their first game against Team Abu Dhabi on the opening day itself, taking the field for the second match of the day on the opening day.
Reports suggest that Raina's decision to retire "from all formats of cricket" is a move to open avenues for him to play in tournaments such as the Road Safety Series and the mushrooming overseas T20 leagues.
Raina, who played 13 seasons of the IPL, scored more than 5,000 runs in the lucrative league while winning four titles with Chennai Super Kings.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Raina wrote, "It has been an absolute honour to represent my country & state UP. I would like to announce my retirement from all formats of cricket. I would like to thank @BCCI, @UPCACricket, @ChennaiIPL, @ShuklaRajiv sir & all my fans for their support and unwavering faith in my abilities."
A report in ESPNcricinfo on Tuesday said Raina's decision will free him "to play tournaments like the Road Safety Series, for which he has already been confirmed, as well as overseas T20 leagues".
"I want to continue playing cricket for two or three years. There are some exciting youngsters who are coming through the ranks of Uttar Pradesh cricket. I have already taken my No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA). I have informed BCCI secretary Jay Shah and vice-president Rajiv Shukla about my decision. I will play in the Road Safety Series. T20 franchises from South Africa, Sri Lanka and UAE have contacted me but I am yet to take any decision," Raina was quoted as saying by Dainik Jagran.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) too wished Raina best of luck and re-lived his historic innings of the 2010 T20 World Cup.
"He is India's only centurion in ICC Men's @T20WorldCup history. Relive the brilliant knock from the 2010 edition," tweeted ICC with a video of his exploits in 2010.
Raina represent CSK for 11 seasons, between 2008 and 2021, and won the title with the second-most successful IPL side four times -- 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021. He is still their highest run-grosser with 4,687 runs from 176 games.
Raina has not played domestic cricket since 2018. Raina's name figured in the IPL mega auction ahead of the 2022 season after he was released by CSK, but he went unsold.
Raina made his international debut in 2005 and played 226 ODIs, 78 T20Is and 18 Tests, scoring more than 8,000 runs across the three formats, besides being a part of the squad that won the 2011 World Cup in India.
Mr IPL fame Raina now seems to be determined to make a comeback to the cash-rich league in 2023. He is believed to have made his intentions clear by starting his training sessions.
Recently, he was found on the practice ground wearing the jersey of the CSK team that eventually ignored him. Meanwhile, the recent development has triggered speculations among the fans that the southpaw will return to his old franchise.
However, nothing has been confirmed from Raina or CSK about the comeback. As per sources, Raina is confident of getting a franchise ahead of the tournament.
In 2021, Suresh Raina was dropped from CSK. Raina was not bought by any team in the subsequent IPL player auction. Thus, Raina appeared as a commentator in IPL.
The fact that Raina practiced wearing the jersey of Chennai Super Kings team is appreciated by cricket buffs across the globe.
“There are many reasons for Suresh Raina to cut ties with Chennai Super Kings. But instead, Raina is practicing wearing a CSK jersey. It’s a testament to Raina’s discipline on the team,” tweeted a CSK fan.
The 35-year-old southpaw played 12 years for CSK from 2008. Raina, who was the trusted player of skipper MS Dhoni, played a pivotal role for the CSK team to emerge IPL champions four times and the Champions League tournament twice.
Raina has played a total of 205 IPL matches in his career so far. He has scored 5,528 runs at an average of 32 with a century and 39 fifties at an excellent strike rate of 136.7.
As expected, Anupam Kher shines in the movie and now he has come out with a video on his social media handle promoting the movie in a full-fledged way. Being a Kashmiri Pandit himself, the actor has closely observed the pain that these people suffered.
In his post, Anupam has penned that he is the witness of The Kashmir Files, and those who were killed cruelly in Kashmir or started living as dead after the atrocities or were uprooted from their native land are still waiting for justice. The Saransh actor further added that he is the voice and face of those Kashmiri people.
आज मैं सिर्फ़ अभिनेता नहीं रहा।मैं गवाह हूँ और #TheKashmirFiles मेरी गवाही है।वो सब कश्मीरी हिंदू,जो या तो मार डाले गए या जीते जी एक शव की तरह जीने लगे।अपने पुरखों की ज़मीन से उखाड़ कर फेंक दिए गए।आज भी न्याय को तरस रहे हैं।अब मैं उन सब कश्मीरी हिंदुओं की ज़ुबान और चेहरा हूँ।💔 pic.twitter.com/d2msvxzw8h
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) March 11, 2022
In the video, the famous actor can be seen saying that with the grace of God, he has completed 522 movies, plays characters, make people cry and laugh and that is his Saransh. But this time (in The Kashmir Files), he did not portray a character or act. He further adds that 32 years ago hundreds of Kashmiri people from old to young, his close people, and everyone suffered hugely as if all parts of his body including his hands, legs, and other organs were crushed.
Anupam Kher gets very emotional while narrating the incidences that the Kashmiri Pandits faced. Another celebrity who is also a Kashmiri pandit and has supported The Kashmir Files is former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina. In his post, Raina has said that now it is the movie of the audience and if it touches their heart, they must raise their voice against injustice that was done to the Kashmiri pandits 32 years ago.
Presenting #TheKashmirFiles
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) March 11, 2022
It’s your film now. If the film touches your heart, I’d request you to raise your voice for the #RightToJustice and heal the victims of Kashmir Genocide.@vivekagnihotri @AnupamPKher @AdityaRajKaul pic.twitter.com/Gnwg0wlPKU
Apart from Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Puneet Issar, and Prakash Belawadi have also delivered splendid performance in The Kashmir Files.
Raina, who is known as MR IPL, remain unsold in this year’s mega IPL auction. However the moment Roy decided to opt out of the mega event, Gujarat Titans started trending with Raina’s hashtag.
“Dear @gujarat_titans, as Roy is out, it’s your sign to get back the Don Suresh Raina back and win the IPL with Mr. IPL,” tweeted a fan.
“Jason Roy out, Suresh Raina in. Possible !!!! Excited?” another fan wrote in his twitter handle.
Raina has put up a stupendous performance in the mega event in the past. His numerous fans across the globe had batted for the south-paw to be bought in this year’s auction also. However, the veteran cricketer with a base price of Rs 2 crore was unsold for the first time in the history of the lucrative league.
However, a window of opportunity has been created for Raina after Roy pulled out of the tournament. There is a chance that Gujarat Lions may respect its fan feelings and rope in the veteran cricketer for the upcoming edition.
If it happens, Raina could be seen crossing swords with his former CSK and Team India captain as well as mentor MS Dhoni on the ground during the mega tournament.
While the pan-India audience is yet to get out of the hangover of the high-end actions, the craze for Srivalli, and its dance moves, is spreading like wild fire. It's not just about the common man or film buffs, the dance moves and music beats are driving legendary cricketers crazy.
First, it was Australian cricketer David Warner, who loved the number so much that he put out a video of him replicating actor Allu Arjun's dance moves for the superhit number.
Now, Suresh Raina also shook a leg on the music beat and tried to replicate Allu Arjun's dance steps.
Raina, however, danced to the Hindi version of the hit number. He posted a video clip of him dancing to the number on Instagram and said: "I couldn't stop but try this myself."
The cricketer also heartily congratulated Allu Arjun for a fine performance in the film that was directed by Sukumar.
He said: "Allu Arjun, what an incredible performance in Pushpa brother! Wishing you lots of success!"
Another fan movement 🥵🙏 @rdchahar1
— Vicky DJ AADF (@VickyDJ_AADf) January 22, 2022
Nee range @alluarjun 👑 #Pushpa pic.twitter.com/i8ZfKmmoEk
Apart from these cricketers, fans have taken the song and Allu Arjun's performance to another level. Several film buffs and crazy fans have shared multiple videos of their own versions with small modifications.
These videos will certainly tickle your funny bones.
north ppl creativity matram😂#Pushpa #PushpaHindi #AlluArjun pic.twitter.com/ZBhiJpUwWX
— Cʜɪɴɴᴀ ⎊ (@itschinna_18) January 22, 2022
Crash course in #Pushpa choreography @TS_SheTeams pic.twitter.com/MXtdjE33AK
— M. Ramesh IPS (@DCPEASTZONE) January 18, 2022
Indian cricketer @IrfanPathan's As PUSHPA 🔥@alluarjun @PushpaMovie#Pushpa #PushpaTheRise #pushpaTherule pic.twitter.com/VEgrSO5t07
— Allu Arjun TFC™ (@AlluArjunTFC) January 17, 2022
Hamare #Giants flower nahi, fire hai! 🔥#GarjegaGujarat #GujaratGiants #Adani #vivoProKabaddi #CHEvGG #Pushpa @alluarjunonline pic.twitter.com/0TbuEnOkHD
— Gujarat Giants (@GujaratGiants) January 20, 2022
Side effects of Pushpa 😂😂😂😂😂#Pushpa#PushpaHindi #AlaVaikunthapurramuloo #PushpaTheRule #PushpaTheRise pic.twitter.com/39BkPVNidV
— Allu Arjun Hindi FC ❤️ (@aaHindiFC) January 13, 2022
There is no end @alluarjun Garu ❤️❤️.#pushpa#Beast#BeastFromApril pic.twitter.com/YmQvvUUNhf
— தளபதி ரசிகன் கண்ணதாசன் (@kannathasan_TVF) January 15, 2022
#Srivalli Reel...😁
— Arjun 🪓 (@ArjunVcOnline) January 18, 2022
Use it wherever required..😂#Pushpa #AlluArjun pic.twitter.com/kuUjmpL6ej
Cricketer @imK_Ahmed13 #Pushpa craze🥵@alluarjun #AlluArjun 🔥pic.twitter.com/Gu7HZBMwk6
— AlluBablooAADHF 😎🔥🪓 (@AlluBablooAADHF) January 20, 2022
The duo was part of India’s memorable moment of glories that include, World Cup 2011 and ICC Champions Trophy 2013. Both the players have also been a part of the Chennai Super Kings’ three IPLs and two CLT20 triumphs.
In a hilarious revelation off late, the southpaw has revealed how he felt when his skipper had taken the role of the waterboy during a 2018 T20I match.
“We had gone to Ireland in 2018 and enjoyed up to the hilt during a match. Dhoni Bhai carried drinks for me there. He knew that I asked for a lot of gloves and bats. So, he brought the whole kit bag to the ground and said, Take whatever you want, don’t call me again. I think I was batting alongside KL Rahul and we both had hit fifties,” said Raina while speaking during a podcast.
“The Captain Cool (Dhoni) said ‘I won’t come again, it’s very cold out here (chuckles),” he further said.
“I still said, Do one thing, bring a grip as well. And he replied, Bohot bade waala hai tu, tu rukja, paani pi, mai leke aata hu. So, it was that kind of fun. I thought that I’ll take full revenge that day,” Raina, who is the third highest-scorer in IPL history, further revealed.
Both Raina and Dhoni have retired from international cricket. However, both the players are still active in the cash-rich IPL and will be back in action when the second leg of IPL-2021 resumes in the United Arab Emirates from September 19.
(Edited by Pradeep Singh)
"You get to hear all these when a team loses and has not played to their potential. I believe there is no conflict within the team, all of these things have been made up," he told media persons here.
Following, the team's first-ever ODI series loss to minnows Bangladesh, Test skipper Virat Kohli had expressed concern over the team's decision-making.
"Not too happy with the way we have played. We have been sort of doubtful in our decision-making and that shows on the field," the flamboyant Kohli had said fueling speculations of a rift within the team.
His comments followed team-mates Suresh Raina and Ravichandran Ashwin's vocal support for ODI skipper M.S. Dhoni whose personal coach has claimed "groupism" within the team as the reason for India's loss. He further claimed that it was affecting Dhoni's concentration and subsequently individual performance.
Expressing disappointment over India's performance, Ganguly credited Bangladesh for outplaying India.
"It is disappointing (the result). But Bangladesh have played brilliant cricket credit should be given to them," he said.
Ganguly also supported Dhoni's decision to bat up the order. The keeper-batsman, who usually comes in at number six, came out to bat at number four in the last two games of the series scoring 116 runs including a 69.
The southpaw also asserted everything was fine with BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya.
According to media reports, the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Lodha Committee found the board president's "speech incoherent and incomprehensible" when it met him in Kolkata on Tuesday.
The three-judge committee has been appointed to prescribe punishment for ex-BCCI president N. Srinivasan's son-in-law and Chennai Super Kings official Gurunath Meiyappan and Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra, both of whom were found involved in betting in IPL 2013.
After a release from BCCI on Thursday refuted such claims, Ganguly too echoed the same sentiments saying: "Our president is absolutely fit."
The 32-year-old Rayudu's score was on Friday found to be well below the threshold mark of 16.1 after he underwent the yo-yo test along with the rest of the England-bound squad including skipper Virat Kohli, at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru in the presence of trainer Shankar Basu and the other support staff.
"The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Suresh Raina as Ambati Rayudu's replacement in India's ODI squad for the series against England," a BCCI statement confirmed.
"The announcement came after Rayudu failed to clear his fitness test that was held at NCA, Bengaluru on Friday," it added.
Rayudu, whose last international appearance was in an ODI against Zimbabwe in June 2016, was named in the India squad for the ODIs against England after a successful outing in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL).
The right-hander finished as the leading run-getter (602) for champions Chennai Super Kings and the fourth highest run-scorer overall in IPL 2018.
The yo-yo test has become a criterion for fitness standards in Indian cricket determining selection.
India's tour of England begins on July 3 with the limited-overs leg of three T20Is and three ODIs.
From August 1 to September 11, India will take on England in a five-match Test series.
India's squad for ODIs against England: Virat Kohli (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Lokesh Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Siddarth Kaul, Umesh Yadav.
The 31-year-old Uttar Pradesh batsman had a very good outing at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy domestic T20, scoring 314 runs at a strike-rate of 146.04.
The left-handed batsman had last played for the Indian team in the three-match series win over England in January-February.
Mumbai batsman Shreyas Iyer was not included in the 16-man squad.
Basil Thampi, Deepak Hooda, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar -- who were in the squad for the Sri Lanka series at home -- have not been named. Virat Kohli and Bhuvneshwar Kumar had been rested in that home series.
Left-arm spinner Axar Patel and pacer Shardul Thakur have also returned to the squad.
The T20Is begin with the first game in Johannesburg on February 18. Prior to the series, India and South Africa will play a six-match One-Day International (ODI) series, which begins on February 1.
Squad: Virat Kohli (Captain) Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Manish Pandey, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Jaydev Unadkat, Shardul Thakur.
Dhoni has been retained for Rs 15 crore while Raina and Jadeja were kept for Rs 11 crore and Rs 7 crore, respectively.
The CSK franchise, back into the IPL fold after serving a two-year ban, has two Right-to-Match options left, which they can use during the IPL auction on January 27 and 28.
Rajasthan Royals, the other franchise to return after a two-year ban, has retained Australia skipper Steve Smith (Rs 12 crore) and surprisingly pushed the likes of star batsman Ajinkya Rahane back into the auction pool.
The other surprise came in the form of Gautam Gambhir, who was sent into the auction pool despite guiding the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to lifting the silverware twice (2012 and 2014).
The Shah Rukh Khan-co-owned franchise retained the West Indian duo of Sunil Narine (Rs 8.5 crore) and Andre Russell (Rs 7 crore).
Similarly, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) released West Indian power-hitter Chris Gayle while retaining India skipper Virat Kohli (Rs 17 crore), South African AB de Villiers (Rs 11 crore) and young Sarfraz Khan (Rs 1.75 crore).
Delhi Daredevils expectedly retained the young Indian duo of Rishabh Pant (Rs 8 crore) and Shreyas Iyer (Rs 7 crore) along with South African all-rounder Chris Morris (Rs 7.1 crore).
Mumbai Indians also went along expected lines retaining their three-time IPL winning skipper Rohit Sharma (Rs 15 crore) along with all-rounder Hardik Pandya (Rs 11 crore) and death-overs bowling specialist Jasprit Bumrah (Rs 7 crore).
Rohit guided the Mumbai franchise to IPL titles in 2013, 2015 and 2017.
Sunrisers Hyderabad also sprang a surprise by releasing India opener Shikhar Dhawan and Afghanistan spin sensation Rashid Khan but retained Australian David Warner (Rs 12 crore) along with pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Rs 8 crore).
After another dismal 2017 season, Kings XI Punjab retained just left-arm spinner Axar Patel (Rs 6.75 crore) for the next season.
"It is a matter of pride for Ghaziabad that Suresh Raina, an international star, is the brand ambassador of GMC and also the brand ambassador of Swachh Bharat Mission," said V.K. Jindal, Joint Secretary and Director of Swachh Bharat Mission.
Ghaziabad Municipal Commissioner C.P. Singh added: "I am grateful to Raina for accepting my proposal to be the brand ambassador of our Municipal Corporation."
Raina is a resident of Ghaziabad. It is the only city among 16 municipal corporations in Uttar Pradesh which has been declared open defecation free.
Raina said: "I will offer my best services to the municipal body. I have been emotionally attached to this city. This city gave me strength so that we could win the World Cup."
Chasing a competitive total of 181, Raina smashed the daylights out of a depleted KKR attack without Sunil Narine, scoring a breathtaking 109 off 62 balls with the help of six fours and eight sixes. His century came off only 59 balls.
Fitting enough, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni finished the match with a flourish as he hit successive sixes off Yusuf Pathan as CSK won with nine balls to spare.
This CSK's first trophy in three years having last won the IPL and CLT20 in South Africa, back in 2011. CSK lost IPL final to KKR in 2012 and also lost twice in IPL this year.
Raina, one of the finest players of the shorter format made a mincemeat of a KKR attack that looked psychologically down with mystery spinner Narine already on his flight back to Port of Spain. Raina is now the only player to score a century in T20 Internationals, IPL and CLT20 tournaments.
As it has been for Raina in a yellow jersey, where he has rarely failed, the UP left-hander gave a perfect exhibition of how to play on a track that offers turn.
Raina's footwork against spinners was out of the coaching manual as he came to the pitch of the deliveries and effortlessly lifted the spinners like Piyush Chawla (0/38 in 3 overs) and Kuldeep Yadav (0/44 in 4 overs) into the second tier of the Chinnaswamy stadium.
In fact, Raina spoilt the party for young chinaman bowler Kuldeep, who today got a maiden call-up into Indian ODI side.
Thrice, Kuldeep was lofted into the stands as Raina danced down the track and negated the turn, teaching the teenager a lesson about playing top-flight cricket.
He added 118 runs in only 12.2 overs with Brendon McCullum, who scored 39 off 30 balls and 58 off 5.2 overs with Dhoni. Needless to say, Raina was the dominant partner in both the stands.
"It was a fantastic knock," said Dhoni, about Raina's 75-ball 100.
India humbled the hosts by 133 runs via Duckworth/Lewis method after the visitors posted 304 for six while batting first. Dhoni said that Raina's knock made the difference.
"By the end of the 30th over, we had not scored too many runs. It was important that he stayed at the crease because he was a set batsman. And we have realised that if we can get a partnership going and have wickets in hand, we can score a lot of runs in the last 10-12 overs. So his innings was very crucial in that respect," he added.
Raina and Dhoni put up 144 runs for the fifth wicket, batting together for 16.5 overs and scoring at 8.55 runs per over, as India plundered 147 runs in the last 15 overs.
The Indian skipper himself scored 52 runs, but the star of the day was surely Raina, who hit 12 fours and 3 sixes during his stay at the crease.
"Raina is someone who scores at a very quick pace and he plays authentic cricketing shots. So I feel he played a fantastic innings as once he got his fifty, he continued and moved on to play some fantastic shots and got his hundred," said Dhoni, showering further praise on his younger team-mate.
With the ODI World Cup just six months away, when asked if this innings confirmed Raina's spot in the squad for India's title-defence, the Indian skipper replied, "The thing is that if a batsman plays one good innings, he is put up on a pedestal. If he doesn't play good cricket or indeed if Raina had not played this innings, the questions could have been very different.
"If Raina doesn't score in a couple of games against the West Indies (at home in October), some other questions will be asked. So let us just say that it was a very good hundred. The World Cup is still three-four series away. Hopefully he won't be injured and will be available for selection at that time as that will be good for us."
Ravindra Jadeja also stood up with his 4-28 in seven overs as England collapsed to 161 all out in 38.1 overs. It further improved Jadeja's ODI record against England, especially in the limited-overs format.
"If we talk about the last few series we have played, whenever the ball has turned slightly, we have seen that it is difficult to score against Jadeja," said the Indian skipper.
The two-time champion, Chennai comfortably managed to overhaul Mumbai's 173 with eight balls to spare at the Brabourne Stadium to set up a meeting with Kings XI Punjab at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday.
Raina, the only player to score 400 runs in all the IPL seasons, scored a quick-fire 33-ball 54 which was laced with four fours and two sixes. He was ably supported by David Hussey, who also remained unconquered on 40 off 29 balls.
Earlier, Lendl Simmons smashed a 44-ball 67 to help Mumbai post a challenging 173 for eight in their stipulated 20 overs at the Brabourne stadium here.
Chennai began their run chase by scoring at a brisk pace.
Openers Dwayne Smith and Faf du Plessis laid a strong foundation by scoring 60 runs off just 38 balls.
But Mumbai wrested the momentum when veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh dismissed the two in the seventh over. Smith struck four fours for his 20-ball 24, including three consecutive ones off Jasprit Bumrah before being caught on long on by fellow West Indian Kieron Pollard.
South African du Plessis, who was given a reprieve while he was on 16 following a misunderstanding between Habhajan Singh and Ambati Rayudu, scored 35 off 20 balls. His breezy knock was laced with five fours and a six.
They were further reduced when they lost New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum at a score of 87, three overs later.
McCullum struck two sixes in his 11-ball 14 before being stumped off left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha.
One-down batsman Raina and Hussey did the repairing job and the duo carted the bowler all over the park to comfortably guide their team to victory.
The duo smashed Ojha for 20 runs in the 16th over, with Hussey scoring two sixes over long on and Raina followed it with another in the same region, to virtually seal the match in their favour.
Harbhajan Singh was the pick of the bowlers, grabbing two wickets for 27 runs.
Asked about the threat the explosive opening pair of Chris Gayle and Dwayne Smith could pose, Raina said, "West Indies will be a totally different team as they have a lot of players who can hit sixes but they don't have an idea about how to rotate the strike against spinners by taking singles and twos.
"Therefore, the more pressure we put on the bigger players, better it will be for us."
The in-form left hander said that Amit Mishra's bowling will again be key while countering the likes of Gayle, Smith and Samuels.
"We have Mishra, who has done well in the last match.
Ashwin has also bowled well and Jadeja is doing well too. But T20 is dependant on who is better on that particular day.
"Also depends on what you intend to do after winning the toss. Spinners will be key in this contest. Especially in the manner, we bowled against Pakistan, which plays spin really well."
Elaborating on the role of tweakers, Raina said that overs 7-11 will be key against the slower bowlers.
"About facing spinners, it's not that there is great turn (on this track) but some turn available. While shaping up for a shot, you need to come under the ball.
"Your thought-process should be clear. If you think you want to hit it then you should go ahead and if you decide against it then be it. Between 7 to 11 overs, is the time when you need to rotate the strike well. If you get even one loose ball, if you can convert it into fours and sixes, then it's good."
For shorter formats, Raina wants that batsmen should try to achieve smaller targets.
"Definitely, Pakistan had Ajmal, West Indies has Narine. In these shorter formats, you have to plan for two overs. You need to decide whom to attack and whom to defend. We have good middle-order. We have Dhoni, Yuvraj and then Jadeja and Ashwin. So if we get a good start, we have batsmen down the order."
This precisely was the message for Suresh Raina from his skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni after India's 15-run loss in the second ODI at Hamilton.
India's hopes had diminished when Virat Kohli got out in the 30th over of the innings but presence of Dhoni and Raina at the crease was still a cause for concern to the Kiwis.
And surprisingly, it was an out-of-sorts Raina who was the chief aggressor in that partnership. He scored 35 runs off 22 balls, with only six fours.
It was a scene enacted out of many similar run-chases the two batsmen have pursued for their IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings. For a short time, Indian hopes were up again, only to be dashed when Raina holed out. The frustration on Dhoni's face told quite a tale.
"Raina is someone who plays aggressive cricket but it is important to have control over your mind as to what are the areas you want to hit. If it is not there to be hit, what are the other options you have got?," said Dhoni, talking about Raina's batting.
"It is not like you want to try and hit something and even if is not there to be hit, you still go for a big shot."
There was nothing extra-ordinary about Raina?s innings, except that it was his second highest score since the 2013-14 season started for the Men in Blue with the seven-match ODI series at home against Australia.
He has had a poor run these three months against West Indies and South Africa thereafter ? 39, DNB, 17, DNB, 16, 28, 0, 23, 34, 14, 36, DNB, and now in New Zealand 18 and 35.
On Wednesday evening at Seddon Park, however, coming in at number six, Raina was faced with a do-or-die situation. He did not have time to settle down and think about countering the short stuff aimed at him, in order to preserve his wicket.
The need of the hour was scoring runs and he looked to do so, hitting some aggressive pull-shots and earning three of his six boundaries in such fashion. Not having to worry about playing for time, he almost looked a different batsman, at least in comparison to the last twelve months.
"That (picking bad deliveries to hit) was something he did particularly well in this innings. Hopefully he will gather plenty of confidence after this innings and carry on longer in this manner," said the Indian skipper.
Could this signal a prolonged outing for Raina at number six, then?
"We have to a see a few things. We cannot change opinions and strategies after one game. It was a certain kind of situation that demanded of him this particular innings. It was good," said Dhoni, as always keeping his cards close to the chest.
During the ongoing IPL match against Mumbai Indians, Kohli, achieved the milestone as soon as he touched the individual score of 46. The run-machine, however, couldn't extend his innings further after he was dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah.
In 165 IPL games, Kohli also has four hundreds beside 34 half centuries to his name, with an average of 38.46.
Earlier on March 24, Suresh Raina, a vital cog in the Chennai Super Kings' wheel, had become the first player to accumulate 5000 runs. Raina leads the 5k club with 5034 runs from 178 IPL games.
CSK, who had defeated KKR in their first meeting also, consolidated their spot at the top of the table with 14 points from eight matches.
KKR, on the other hand, slumped to their third straight defeat, remaining on eight points from eight matches.
Tahir (4/27) first played a pivotal role in restricting KKR to 161/8.
Chasing a modest 162 for victory, Raina struck an unbeaten 58 off 42 balls (7x4; 1x6), his 36th IPL fifty, adding 41 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (31 off 17 balls not out; 4x5) for the sixth wicket.
CSK needed 24 in the last two overs, but Jadeja hit Harry Gurney for a hattrick of fours in the 19th over to bring the equation down to eight runs off six balls.
The India all-rounder then creamed Piyush Chawla for a boundary to hit the winning runs as the defending champions won with two balls to spare.
CSK lost Shane Watson (6) early with Gurney trapping him in front of the wicket. Faf Du Plessis (24) was castled by Sunil Narine (2/19), who bowled a wicket maiden in the sixth over.
Ambati Rayudu (5) failed to impress the selectors on the eve of World Cup selection while Kedar Jadhav (20) also got out to leave CSK on 81/4.
Dhoni and Raina combined for a 40-run fifth wicket stand before the former was trapped by Narine, with reviews not going in the former India skipper's favour.
Earlier, recording his best figures (4/27) in the competition, Tahir bowled a game-changing 15th over to account for Chris Lynn (82; 51 balls; 7x4 6x6) and Andre Russell (10) to dent the KKR's surge as they could only manage 161/8.
Tahir was introduced in the ninth over with Lynn going great guns. The South Africa leg-spinner gave away just four runs in his first over to then wreak havoc.
The 40-year-old removed Nitish Rana (21) and Robin Uthappa (0) in the 11th over to start KKR's slide and then did the major damage in the 15th over by removing Lynn and Russell in the space of four balls.
Lynn was caught at deep square leg by Shardul Thakur while substitute Dhruv Shorey took an excellent catch at long on.
In the last five overs, the hosts could muster only 28 runs with only one four at the cost of three wickets. Shardul (2/18), who along with Tahir was the other architect of Chennai's choke, removed Shubman Gill (15) and Piyush Chawla (0) in the final over.
Brief scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 161/8 in 20 overs (Chris Lynn 82; Imran Tahir 4/27) vs Chennai Super Kings 162/5 in 19.4 overs (Suresh Raina 58 not out, Ravindra Jadeja 31 not out; Sunil Narine 2/19)
(Story By: DEBAYAN MUKHERJEE)
India captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina, among others, sent their condolences to the victims.
"Shocked to hear the news coming in from Sri Lanka. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this tragedy. #PrayForSriLanka," Kohli tweeted.
"Thoughts and prayers with Sri Lanka. Such a beautiful country," Rohit tweeted.
Raina also condemned the ghastly attacks, saying: "Devastated to hear about the attacks in Sri Lanka. It's a brutal act of inhumanity. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families."
Former cricketer V.V.S. Laxman tweeted: "Deeply saddened by the terrible attacks in #SriLanka .My sincere prayers with the people of Sri Lanka in this very difficult time."
A string of explosions rocked churches and hotels in Colombo and elsewhere during Easter Sunday, causing the worst mayhem in the island nation since the end of the civil war a decade ago.
Dhoni's superb 48-ball-84 went in vain as RCB beat CSK by one run to stay afloat in the league.
CSK's problem has been their top-order where Shane Watson (147 runs), World Cup reject Ambati Rayudu (192 runs) and Suresh Raina (207 runs) have performed well below-par. The pressure has been entirely on Dhoni, who leads the charts with 314 runs.
"I think it was a good game. We did really well to restrict them to a below par total, but we needed some good batting at the top. Once you know the opposition attack, you have got to stick to your plans and if you lose too many wickets upfront that puts pressure and the middle order really can't go after the bowlers from the start," Dhoni said at the end of the match.
Dhoni wants his top-order to be more discreet with shot selection.
"It's easy to go and play the big shot and even if I get out others will do the job. Problem arises when you don't play big shots and that puts pressures on others. That's something we need to calculate. That's why I think the top three can be finishers. They may do it a few times."
The CSK skipper said that batting in the middle-order involves a lot of calculation.
"When you bat at Nos 5, 6 or 7 whatever you are calculating you have to put a lot of thinking behind it because you lose one more wicket and the game is over at that point of time."
Dhoni felt that the Chinnaswamy track was difficult one to bat on with its spongy bounce.
"It was still difficult at the end. It was slightly spongy (the pitch) and the new batsmen found it difficult. Boundaries were needed and yes we have lost by one run but at the same time we have to see what if there were few dot balls and whether we could have got those extra boundaries or not.
Rahul's run rampage made most Chennai bowlers look helpless. The opener, whose stunning knock was decorated with seven fours and five massive sixes, bought up his half-century off just 19 balls. It's now the third fastest half-century of the ongoing season.
Chasing the 171-run target, Rahul and his partner Chris Gayle (28 off 28) gave Punjab a flying start and the hosts were 33/0 in the first three overs, before the former clobbered Harbhajan Singh for 24 runs in the next over.
While Gayle, the self-proclaimed 'boss of universe', mostly remained silent, there was no stopping Rahul whose carnage of Chennai bowlers saw Punjab reaching 85/0 in just seven overs. At one stage it looked as if the hosts would cross the line in just 15 overs as their scorecard read 106/0 in 10 overs.
Harbhajan finally gave Chennai some respite with a much needed breakthrough, dismissing a dangerous Rahul in the 11th over. Rahul trying to go for the maximum sliced a delivery high in the air and Imran Tahir made no mistake at extra cover.
Just in the next ball, Harbhajan packed back Gayle to reduce the hosts to 108/2. The Caribbean had tried to clear the fence but ended up giving a catch to substitute Dhruv Shorey at long-on.
Just when the two new batsmen -- Pooran and Mayank Agarwal -- could add another 10 runs in Punjab's scorecard, Harbhajan showed his class to send Agarwal to the hut. Agarwal could contribute just seven runs.
It seemed the Yellow Brigade would make a comeback in the game. But Pooran seemed in a hurry to finish things off as his lusty blows saw Punjab crossing the 150-run mark in 14.5 overs. Pooran couldn't continue till the last as Ravindra Jadeja cut short his stay in the 17th over. However, it was too late for the visitors with Punjab comfortably placed at 163/4.
With just 8 more runs needed, Mandeep Singh (11 not out off 9) and Sam Curran (6 off 7) easily drove Punjab home with 12 balls to spare.
For Chennai, Harbhajan was the pick of bowlers as he scalped three wickets, but leaked 57 runs from his four overs. Jadeja bagged one for 16 runs.
Earlier, opener Faf du Plessis's 96 off 55 balls and Suresh Raina's 53 off 38 balls helped Chennai post 170/5 in the allotted 20 overs.
The duo were involved in a crucial 120-run second wicket partnership, building the platform for a fighting total as their lower middle-order failed to contribute.
While du Plessis' knock was laced with 10 boundaries and four sixes, Raina's innings contained five fours and two hits into the stands.
Put to bat, openers Shane Watson (7 off 11) and du Plessis started on a good note, adding 30 runs in the initial four overs. But in the next over Curran drew the first blood for Punjab as he castled Watson.
Raina and du Plessis then anchored the innings, helping Chennai reach the 50-run mark in 7.1 overs before they further developed the partnership to take their side to 79/1 at the half way stage.
They continued to play sensibly and kept the scorers busy as Chennai touched the three-digit mark in 12.5 overs. Meanwhile, du Plessis also notched up his second half-century of the season off 37 balls.
Just when it seemed that they would comfortably steer Chennai to an imposing total, Raina mistimed a slower delivery by Curran to give an easy catch to Mohammed Shami at short fine-leg.
Curran struck again in the 19th over to send back a well-settled du Plessis, who fell short of his century by just four runs with Chennai's scorecard reading 163/3.
Shami then dismissed Kedar Jadhav (0) and Ambati Rayudu (1) in the final over as Chennai skipper M.S. Dhoni (10) and Dwayne Bravo (1) remained unbeaten at the end of 20 overs.
Brief scores: Kings XI Punjab 173/4 in 18 overs (KL Rahul 71, Nicholas Pooran 36; Harbhajan Singh 3/57) beat Chennai Super Kings: 170/5 in 20 overs (Faf du Plessis 96, Suresh Raina 53; Sam Curran 3/35) by 6 wickets.
Raina on Friday underwent a knee surgery where he had been facing discomfort for the last few months.
"I am out of surgery and healing steadily, for which I thank my doctors, family, friends, and everyone who has wished me good health and speedy recovery," the left-handed batsman posted on Twitter and Instagram on Saturday.
"The issue began way back. It was 2007 when I underwent my maiden knee surgery and later, I was back on the field, giving the game my 100 per cent, all thanks to my trainers and doctors.
"However, a nagging discomfort returned last couple of years. During the episodes of niggling pain, to avoid any impact on my game, my trainers kept me going and helped me a lot in training my muscles well so that it would take the load off of the knee.
"To be honest, a second knee surgery was a tough call to make because I knew it would put me off-action for a few months and I wasn't ready for it until a few weeks ago when the pain had gotten a bit much and I knew there was only one way out of this.
"I hope I'm up on my feet, on the field and ready to give my best very soon again," he added.
The left-handed batsman will not be available for most part of India's upcoming domestic season which begins with Duleep Trophy.
The 32-year-old southpaw last played for India in an ODI against England in 2018.
Raina, a World Cup winner in 2011, has played 18 Tests, 226 ODIs and 78 T20Is. He was last involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Chennai Super Kings.
Taking to Instagram, Raina wrote: "I could not wait any longer..thanks for helping me @_PriyankaCRaina #haircut #doityourself."
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-1WPPyhnXY/
Earlier, Team India skipper Virat Kohli had posted a video where his actress wife Anushka Sharma was seen giving him a haircut. Anushka was also seen pulling Kohli up when he was having a chat with former England skipper Kevin Pietersen on Instagram and said that it was time to end the chat and head over for dinner.
Read More: Anushka Turns Barber For Hubby & Captain Virat Kohli: Watch Video
Meanwhile, India's Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has revealed his daily routine during lockdown in place amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Rahane said that among other things, he has got back to practising karate, in which he has a black belt. He said that while he makes time to work out and help his wife Radhika in the household chores, most of the day goes in taking care of his daughter Arya.
"In the morning before Arya wakes up, I do my workout, about 30-45 mins," said Rahane in a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) across social media handles.
"After that, I have started practising karate again. I have a black belt in karate and because of this lockdown, I am practising karate again. I try that at least 3-4 times a week, I practise karate. The rest of the day goes with Arya. When she wakes up either of us has to be with her and generally that is me only. Radhika does the rest of the house work in that time."
Rahane said one of the positives of the lockdown has been that he has been able to spend more time with his daughter.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-HliPPp2Gr/
"Otherwise we are travelling all the time so I am pretty happy now that I am able to play with her and spend time with her. And when Arya goes to sleep I help out Radhika whether it be in cooking or cleaning.
"I am getting a lot of cooking tips from Radhika. Whenever I get time from all this, I like listening to music, reading books, so I take out time for that. Right now I am reading Swami Parthasarthy's The Holocaust of Attachment. So my days go by pretty quickly because of all this," said Rahane.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-PhOODB0Of/
Sportspersons have been looking to interact with fans to not only keep them entertained, but also to guide them in these difficult times as also keep them aware of the dos and don'ts.
Earlier, PM Narendra Modi spoke to 49 sports personalities that included the likes of BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli, cricket great Sachin Tendulkar, badminton world champion P.V. Sindhu and chess legend Viswanathan Anand as he urged them to keep spreading awareness as the world fights the coronavirus pandemic.
Also Read: Team India Trainers Constantly Monitoring Virat Kohli & Boys’ Fitness On AMS
The pandemic has put the whole world on pause and sporting events across the globe have either been cancelled or suspended and even the fate of the 13th edition of the IPL hangs in balance with the BCCI now also open to shifting the tournament to the October-November window if the ICC does plan to postpone the World T20.
(With Agency Inputs)
"Rohit's captaincy is very similar to MSD. The way he does things calmly, the way he motivates people. He is bindaas, he knows that whenever he goes to bat he'll make runs. So this sort of confidence is there in a player, then the rest of the players also pick that up from him… this is what I like about Rohit.
"I recently saw in that final against Pune, Rohit made some 2-3 great moves as captain of Mumbai.. in crunch situation the way he made changes between overs on a dry wicket, the way he released pressure then created pressure. Watching that you know that he is taking all these decisions himself. Yes, there must be some advice coming from outside but in his mind, he knows what to do when. No wonder he has won so many trophies as captain," Raina said on Sportscreen's YouTube page.
Middle-order batsmen often talk about getting comfortable at a position, but Raina said that he never questioned his batting position or why he was shuffled in the order with Dhoni.
"No, I never questioned him about it. I remember during the 2015 World Cup he sent me higher up the order to bat and I got 70-80 odd in that game. Later that evening I asked him, how and why did you think of sending me that high up and he said because they had two leg-spinners bowling and he knew that I would play them better. Even now I think about those occasions.
"But I know that he (Dhoni) was always thinking one step ahead from us because they guy is standing behind the stumps, watching the entire proceedings, the cameras, the crowds, that man can't be wrong. He knows how much it is swinging, how much the pitch is turning. God has certainly gifted him with some special ability and that's why he's been such a successful leader," he said.
Asked about BCCI CEO Rahul Johri's comments on the IPL, Raina said: "I don't think without foreigners IPL will ever be that interesting. Foreign players have to be there. They bring in experience and challenge of a different kind. Anyway there is the four foreign players in every team rule that exists and with foreign players around one enjoys more and one gets to learn a lot also, as has been the case since the beginning of IPL where top international batsmen and bowlers have been a part of it."
(IANS)
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He shared a group photo with Dhoni and captioned: "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!"
Earlier today on Independence Day, Raina had posted a picture with Dhoni and captioned: "Let's celebrate the freedom & salute our freedom fighters who are still fighting to protect us. Can't thank you enough for your patriotism & all the sacrifices you make. Prosperity, happiness and health to all!
सारे जहां से अच्छा हिंदुस्तान हमारा 🕊 जय हिंद जय भारत
Both Dhoni and Raina are expected to play in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), for which both of them arrived in Chennai for a training camp ahead of the team's departure for the UAE. The tournament starts from September 19 and will run till November 10.
Most of Raina's international appearances came under Dhoni's captaincy. He scored 5,615 runs in 226 ODI matches, which included five centuries and 1,605 runs, including one century in 78 T20Is. He was the first Indian player to score a century in T20I cricket and the first from the country to score a century in all three formats of the game.
Although he scored a hundred on Test debut, Raina managed to play only 18 games in the longest format and scored 768 runs. His century on debut was also his only ton in the longest format of the game.
Renowned for his ability in the field, Raina was part of the Indian teams that won the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy, both under the captaincy of Dhoni.
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Like MS Dhoni, Raina too on the occasion of India's 74th Independence Day, hanged his boots from international cricket via a social media post.
"On 15th August, you decided to make what would surely have been one of the toughest decisions of your life. I do not want to use the word 'retirement' because you are way too young and energetic to 'retire'," Prime Minister Modi said in a letter addressed to Raina.
"You are padding up for the next innings of your life, after an extremely fruitful inning on the cricket field," he added in the letter he tweeted.
The 33-year-old expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister by tweeting back: "When we play, we give our blood & sweat for the nation. No better appreciation than being loved by the people of this country and even more by the country's PM. Thank you Narendra Modiji for your words of appreciation & best wishes. I accept them with gratitude. Jai Hind!"
Raina represented India in 18 Tests, 226 ODIs, and 78 T20Is in an international career spanning 13 years.
"You have lived and breathed cricket. Your interest in the sport began early in life, in the by-lanes of Muradnagar, and subsequently found feet in the playgrounds of Lucknow," said Prime Minister Modi.
"There on, what an eventful journey it has been, culminating in the most important honour of representing India - a country you love deeply - in all three forms of the game.
"Generations will remember you not only as a fine batsman but also as a very useful bowler who the captain could turn to when the situation demanded. Your fielding was exemplary and inspiring.
"Some of the best catches in recent international cricket have your distinctive imprint. It would take days to count just the number of runs you have saved by your alertness on the field," he added.
Raina first made his international debut at the age of 18 and also led India in ODIs and T2OIs when he turned 23.
He is the youngest to lead an India men's T20I side and was also a member of the side that played in India's first-ever T20I. The southpaw is also the first Indian to score a century in the T20 World Cup.
"As a batsman, you especially distinguished yourself across all mediums and particularly in the newest form of the game, the T20 cricket. This is not an easy format. In tune with our times, it requires quick fixes in double-quick time. Again, your promptness and speed were assets for this form," said the Prime Minister while praising Raina's performance in the shortest format of the game.
Raina was part of the World Cup-winning team in 2011 when India defeated Sri Lanka in the summit clash at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. He had played a crucial role in India's successful campaign in the tournament and Prime Minister Modi recalled his valuable performance in the quarterfinals against Australia.
"India can never forget your inspiring role during the 2011 World Cup, especially during the later matches. I saw you live in action at the Motera Stadium, Ahmedabad, during the quarterfinal against Australia. Your anchoring innings had a big role to play in our team's victory," he said.
"I can confidently say that most fans will miss seeing your elegant cover drives, one which I was lucky to witness live that day.
When we play, we give our blood & sweat for nation. No better appreciation than being loved by people of this country & country’s PM. Thank you PM for your words of appreciation & best wishes. I accept them with gratitude: Suresh Raina (File Pic) responds to PM Modi's letter pic.twitter.com/KKy5qbr26U
— OTV (@otvnews) August 21, 2020
The Prime Minister further praised the left-handed batsman for his fighting spirit which he believes is deeply motivating for the youngsters
"Sportspersons are admired not only for their conduct on the field but also off the field. Your fighting spirit can motivate many youngsters," stated Prime Minister Modi.
"During your cricketing career, you sometimes faced setbacks including injuries but every time you overcame these challenges, thanks to your tenacity. At the same time, Suresh Raina will always be synonymous with team spirit.
"You played not for personal glory but for the glory of your team and the glory of India. Your enthusiasm on the field was infectious, and we could all witness that you would be among the first and most animated players to celebrate the fall of the opposing team's wicket," he added.
Prime Minister Modi, towards the end in his letter, also praised Raina for his efforts towards women empowerment and Swachh Bharat and wished him luck for his second innings beyond cricket.
"Your care and compassion towards society are visible in your numerous community service efforts. You have passionately supported efforts towards women empowerment, Swachh Bharat, and helping the needy," said the Prime Minister.
"I am glad you are attached to India's cultural roots and proud of deepening youth's connect with our glorious ethos as well as value systems. I am confident you will have an equally fruitful and successful inning in whatever you wish to pursue in the times to come.
"I do hope you will use this opportunity to spend even more quality time with Priyanka, Gracia, and Rio.
"Thank you for doing whatever you can to make India a leader in sports and constantly inspiring young minds," he signed off.
(IANS)
"Suresh Raina has returned to India for personal reasons and will be unavailable for the remainder of the IPL season," CSK CEO K.S. Viswanathan was quoted as saying on the official Twitter handle on the Chennai-based franchise. "Chennai Super Kings offers complete support to Suresh and his family during this time."
Suresh Raina has returned to India for personal reasons and will be unavailable for the remainder of the IPL season. Chennai Super Kings offers complete support to Suresh and his family during this time.
KS Viswanathan
CEO— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) August 29, 2020
The development comes a day after it was reported that 12 members of the CSK, including players/coaching/support staff, tested positive for Covid-19. Sources told IANS on Friday that the entire CSK team had been quarantined after the development.
"A total of 12 members have been found infected and the entire team has been told to go under quarantine. It is learnt that they got infected during a camp in Chennai," said the sources. "Other teams have also requested the BCCI to issue a statement for the safety of the cricketers in the UAE." CSK had landed in Dubai on August 21 and underwent the mandatory six-day quarantine period.
Meanwhile, one more Chennai Super Kings player has tested positive for COVID-19, taking the count of the positive-tested members of the three-time IPL champion team to 13, sources in the UAE told IANS on Saturday.
The development has raised a big question mark against the start of 13th edition of the IPL that is scheduled to start on September 19.
Just when fans were trying to grasp the development, reports came in that one more CSK player has tested positive. "One more player tested positive. His name is not known, but I was told that one more player has tested positive. This is becoming scary here in the UAE. Other teams are also a little worried now," sources told IANS.
While CSK CEO KS Viswanathan tweeted about Raina, he did not say anything about the number of squad members who have tested positive. The CSK has not issued any statement either.
The IPL, which is generally held in the summer in India, had to be postponed due to the coronavirus crisis. It is now scheduled to be held between September 19 and November 10 in the UAE, but the BCCI has now announced the schedule of the matches.
Besides the CSK tweet, the real reason for Raina's return is not immediately known. The left-hander retired from international cricket along with former India captain and his friend, CSK skipper MS Dhoni, on August 15.
The BCCI has so far not issued any statement vis-à-vis CSK members testing positive.
(IANS)
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The deceased has been identified as Ashok Kumar, a government contractor.
The incident took place at Thariyal village in Punjab's Pathankot district on the night intervening August 19 and 20, police said.
According to them, three to four members of the notorious Kale Kachhewala gang had come with an intention to loot, attacked Ashok Kumar and his family members at their house in Thariyal village near Madhopur of Pathankot.
At the time of the attack, they were sleeping at the terrace of their house.
Ashok Kumar, who had suffered head injuries, died while four others sustained injuries, said police.
Also Read: Jolt To CSK! Suresh Raina Out Of IPL 2020
Kumar's death was also confirmed by Pathankot Senior Superintendent of Police Gulneet Singh Khurana. As far as Kumar's relation with cricketer Raina, the SSP said he has no confirmation about it. He may be a relative, he said.
We are investigating the matter, said the SSP.
According to police, robbers decamped with some cash and gold from the house.
Kumar's 80-year-old mother Satya Devi, his wife Asha Devi, sons Apin and Kuashal suffered injuries, said police.
While Satya Devi has been discharged from hospital, others are still undergoing treatment, said Pathankot Superintendent of Police Prabhjot Singh Virk.
(PTI)
One of the reasons being cited is that he returned because of his children while a few suggested that his uncle was killed in Punjab.
However, sources on Sunday told IANS that the reason was more "stupid". "It was a stupid reason, nothing much. He was not happy with the room given to him. It all started when he came to the UAE, along with the team. Other CSK members tried to convince him but he didn't listen to anybody," sources in the UAE said.
Meanwhile, N. Srinivasan, Chief of India Cements which owns CSK, has also made some shocking revelations. He was quoted as saying by Outlook that Raina found the rules of the bio-bubble claustrophobic and wanted a room with a balcony like CSK captain MS Dhoni had.
Srinivasan also said Raina's sudden exit left the team in a bit of shock but skipper Dhoni "was in complete control of the situation."
Raina was unavailable for comment.
If sportspersons, who are used to playing in open areas, do feel claustrophobic in closed environment, it is not surprising or Raina's is not the first such case.
In May, when India's 1975 World Cup-winning hockey goal-keeper Ashok Diwan returned from the USA, after meeting his son, he found his 11-day quarantined in a Delhi hotel like a "jail" and felt suffocated in his room with no fresh air and sealed windows.
"I was told about the timings of the delivery of food. The person who would bring food to my room would keep the tray on a table outside the room and I had to bring it inside. Besides, I had to do everything else, like washing clothes, cleaning bathroom, and even changing bedsheets etc, which they would keep outside the room and leave. No one was allowed to come inside the room nor was I permitted to go out, so I had to do everything," Diwan was quoted as saying in media reports. "Only I know what I went through in those 11 days."
(IANS)
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There were a lot of speculations doing the rounds when Suresh Raina flew back to India and decided the miss the entire IPL 2020. With his Twitter post, Raina has put a full stop to all the speculations.
Till date we don’t know what exactly had happened that night & who did this. I request @PunjabPoliceInd to look into this matter. We at least deserve to know who did this heinous act to them. Those criminals should not be spared to commit more crimes. @capt_amarinder @CMOPb
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) September 1, 2020
According to police, three to four members of the notorious “Kale Kachhewala” gang had come with an intention to loot, attacked Ashok Kumar and his family members at their house in Thariyal village near Madhopur of Pathankot. At the time of the attack, they were sleeping on the terrace of their house.
Ashok Kumar suffered head injuries and died on the same night, police said. Confirming Kumar's death, Pathankot Senior Superintendent of Police Gulneet Singh Khurana had earlier said he had no confirmation about the victim's relationship with the cricketer.
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Dhoni, 39, retired from international cricket in August. And Raina, 33, opted out of the present tournament due to "personal reasons".
The two senior pros have played for CSK since the first IPL edition in 2008, with the exception of two seasons in 2016 and 2017, when CSK was suspended by the Supreme Court in a betting-fixing scandal. Dhoni represented Rising Pune SuperGiant and Raina played for Gujarat Lions in those two years.
Related Story: IPL 2020: CSK Restrict SRH At 164/5, Maiden Fifty For Priyam Garg
While the pair was expected to be reunited this season, Raina pulled out of the tournament after travelling with the team to the UAE.
Dhoni's tally of 194 matches is also the most appearances made by any player for any T20 franchise around the world.
Also Read: IPL 2020: CSK Look To Bounce Back Against SRH
CSK have made a slow start to the season. After winning their first match against Mumbai Indians in a repeat of the 2019 final, CSK have gone on to lose to Rajasthan Royals by 16 runs and Delhi Capitals by 44 runs to find themselves at the bottom of the table at the start of Thursday's match.
(IANS)
During their appearance, both Suresh and Priyanka shared a lot of details about their personal life. From how he proposed Priyanka to the way he spent time doing household duties during the lockdown, Suresh revealed a lot of interesting things.
https://twitter.com/ImRaina/status/1321092258679169024
The famous Indian cricketer revealed that he made a journey of 47 hours just to propose to his wife. Incidentally, Priyanka Raina is the daughter of Suresh Raina's cricketing coach. So they knew each other since childhood and even played together.
But after that, there was a gap between the two. While Suresh pursued his cricketing career Priyanka graduated and started working in a bank in Europe. So after a gap of around 8 years when Suresh thought of marrying Priyanka, she wanted to see him personally.
https://twitter.com/SonyTV/status/1322531267984809984
At that time Suresh Raina was on a tour of Australia. But he wanted to please his would-be-wife and hence took a journey of 47 hours. From Australia, he went to Dubai and from there to London just to propose to Priyanka.
Suresh also revealed that he is a good cook and loves to feed people.
The CSK batsman revealed that the wives of Indian cricketers share a good bond and cheer their husbands when they are playing. He funnily added that these wives even question their husbands when they do not play well on the field.
https://twitter.com/Akkistaan/status/1321061022824710145
Next, Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani will come on The Kapil Sharma Show to promote their upcoming movie Laxmii. Incidentally, it will be the 25th appearance of Akki on the show and hence all the members of the comedy show will give him a gift.
Sharing his breakfast picture on Instagram, Suresh Raina wrote, "Birthday morning started with a delicious & healthy breakfast in the most beautiful setting."
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In yet another post, Suresh gives a glimpse of the expanse of the blue Maldives ocean with Justin Bieber's 'Life is Worth Living' song playing in the background. Raina even captioned his post, "Life is worth living ❤️❤️."
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Geeta Basra, the wife of close friend Harbhajan Singh responded to this post saying, "The Maldives!! one of my fav places ❤️ happy birthday." The ace spinner Bhajji Paji also wished his colleague on his birthday. He commented, "Happy Birthday brother."
The Chennai Super Kings batsman has time and again voiced his intention to train budding cricketers in India. A few days ago he signed an MOU with the J&K Sports Council in presence of several dignitaries.
He shared this event on his Instagram and wrote, "Extremely delighted to sign the MoU with J&K Sports Council for training budding cricketers across the Union Territory. In presence of J&K Lt. Governor @manojsinhabjp Chief Secretary BVR Subramaniam and Principal Secretary to LG @nitishwark Great beginnings & things ahead."
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Harbhajan Singh congratulated Raina saying, "God bless you.. more power to you." Raina also launched a special program a few days ago to mark his birthday. Through this program, the famous Indian middle-order cricketer will be running a project to provide toilets, drinking water & adolescent health programs across 34 schools in the country.
Raina wrote, "Giving back to the society that has given me so much has always been my guiding philosophy. As I turn 34, I’m excited to launch my most special project yet with @grfcare & @UnstoppableYUVA to provide toilets, drinking water & adolescent health programs across 34 schools in India."
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Suresh Raina declared retirement from international cricket on 15 August, just a few hours after MS Dhoni. But he will continue to play IPL and contribute to Indian cricket as a coach and mentor.
The Sahar police raided Dragon Fly at 2:30 am on Tuesday. The club was found to be breaking several Covid-19 norms and kept the pub open in spite of the night curfew across Maharashtra imposed by the state government.
Senior officer of Sahar Police Station stated that Raina along with others was booked under Section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (whoever unlawfully or negligently does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life), 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of IPC and provisions of NMDA.
Ahead of the New Year, the Maharashtra government has imposed a night curfew in the state from December 22 to January 5 due to the rising Covid-19 cases.
The trio gathered together with their family members and had a blast with bonfire and old songs as a company. Virender Sehwag's love for Kishore Kumar songs is quite well known. The Indian opening batsman Dhawan shared a video clip of the three enjoying the warmth of a bonfire along with a few family members.
Dhawan captioned his post, "Bonfire and Old Songs! Wonderful Cold December evening with @virendersehwag paji and @sureshraina3 bhai and friends."
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It was pure delight for the cricketing fans to watch their two favorite opening batsmen Sehwag and Dhawan in one frame along with Suresh Raina. It has been a long time since they have been snapped together and hence it was a treat to their fans. However, the sweet banter between these guys made the clip all the more interesting.
The group is trying to lit a bonfire as they are sitting on the balcony of Raina's apartment with the famous Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosale song 'Tu Tu Hai Wahi Dil Ne Jise" playing in the background. While Dhawan and Sehwag try to adjust the logs in the fire a friend who is making this video asks Viru Paji to make some comments.
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Instead of Sehwag, another friend says, "Virubhai comment nahi dega, comment dega ye Shikhi baba. Raja toh yeh hai." On this comment, Shikhar Dhawan replies, "Hum toh woh raje hai ki jo lakdi bhi English willow ki jalate hai." This makes everyone laugh. Someone even takes a jibe "SG nahi bol sakta?"
Incidentally, SG is a famous brand that produces cricket products. It seems the trio of Sehwag, Dhawan, and Raina were using pieces of the broken bat as logs to lit the fire.
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Now he is once again coming on the television albeit as the brand ambassador of Indian Pro Music League which will air on Zee Television and ZEE5. Both the anthem and the launch video was released yesterday.
The league will comprise six teams led by celebrities from Bollywood, cricket, and the music world. These include Shraddha Kapoor, Govinda, Rajkummar Rao, Riteish Deshmukh & Genelia, Bobby Deol, and Suresh Raina.
Big names from the music world such as Asees Kaur, Mika, Akriti Kakar, Shaan, Neha Bhasin, Sajid Wajid, Shilpa Rao, Kailash Kher, Bhoomi Trivedi, Javed Ali, Payal Dev, and Ankit Tiwari will be the captains of these teams.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlsEyONPgus&feature=youtu.be
About the launch of the Indian Pro Music League, the Dabangg Khan said, "We have all been hooked on to sports leagues for the sheer excitement and competitive spirit of the format, but kudos to ZEE TV and Fathom Pictures for coming up with a music league that infuses the energy of sports into the world of music reality television."
https://twitter.com/BeingSalmanKhan/status/1254024106674057216
He further added, "It is also the first time that big film and sports celebs are backing teams led by 12 of Bollywood’s top playback singers, reality stars, and 6 fresh voices who will battle out a musical championship, representing different states of our country. With so much excitement and novelty going for the show, looks like this music league is in a league of its own."
https://twitter.com/BeingSalmanKhan/status/1340937612647796736
On the work front, he has a lot of big movies in hand. Currently, he is busy shooting for Antim with Mahesh Manjerekar. He will also be seen next in Tiger3 with Katrina Kaif, Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali with Pooja Hegde, and Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai with Disha Patani.