India vs England, Dharamsala: Suresh Raina completes 4000 ODI runs
Raina had claimed recently that he would like to regain his spot in the Test side, from which he was unceremoniously dropped prior to the England series. Undoubtedly he has failed to deliver in this arena with a below-par average of 28.44 in 17 Test matches. But for a player of Suresh Raina's ability, the Indian faithful must hope that his best is yet to come.
Along with posting his fourth consecutive half-century in the 5th One Day International versus England at Dharamsala, Suresh Raina became only the 13th Indian batsman to amass 4000 ODI runs. In the cold temperatures of Himachal Pradesh, Raina guided India to a par score after suffering their customary top-order collapse. The southpaw smashed a 98-ball 83 under the picturesque settings to provide fight in trying circumstances.
In the process, Raina became the second Indian batsman this series to reach 4000 ODI runs, the previous being Virat Kohli. In 159 matches, Raina has managed 4068 runs at an average of over 35. He has managed 3 centuries as well, with a highest of 116* against Bangladesh in 2008. On paper, his record may not be the most impressive, but for a player who bats at No.5, Raina has seen numerous games through for the Men in Blue. As an added bonus, the 26-year-old pitches in with right-arm off-breaks, having scalped 24 wickets in limited-overs cricket. Raina is also the only Indian batsman to post centuries in all 3 formats of the game, an astounding feat to say the least!
With humble roots and a far from flashy background, Raina may not resemble the archetypical hot-blooded young cricketers of the current generation. But the left-hander from Ghaziabad packs a punch. His drives over extra-cover are glorious yet understated, while his diminutive stature belies his power-hitting. Fans of the Chennai Super Kings have witnessed first-hand his exploits in the T20 arena. Bearing a constant smile, he has been a pleasure to watch since his debut in 2005.
Raina had claimed recently that he would like to regain his spot in the Test side, from which he was unceremoniously dropped prior to the England series. Undoubtedly he has failed to deliver in this arena with a below-par average of 28.44 in 17 Test matches. But for a player of Suresh Raina's ability, the Indian faithful must hope that his best is yet to come.