Let's face it. Every team would want a Suresh Raina. Besides being an explosive batsman (in the limited overs format), a brilliant fielder and a capable part-time bowler, Raina remains a total team man. He is often spotted running to the bowler or to the square-leg fielder, from his position at cover, to offer words of encouragement or to give his teammate a pat on the back. His infectious energy on the field is capable of lifting the morale of the entire team. On his 28th birthday, we take a look at five of Raina's best innings.
100(106) v England, Sofia Gardens, Cardiff 2014
Suresh Raina's century at Cardiff boosted the Indian team's deflated body language
Sunil Gavaskar called it one of the best One-Day International Innings by an Indian batsman outside the sub-continent. The impact of the innings went beyond the context of the match. India had endured a miserable time in the preceding Test series against England and the team was mentally down at the beginning of the ODI series. And, at 129 for 4 in the 30th over, things hadn't begun particularly well in the new format either. Raina counter-attacked. His boundary laden innings took India past 300. Riding on the innings, India went on to win the match and subsequently, the series.
78(136) v England, Lord's, London 2011
Suresh Raina's off-side play in the second innings of the Lord's Test deserved much praise.
Raina's Test career hasn't exactly taken off despite a century on debut at the Singhalese Sports Club in Colombo because of technical frailties against the swinging red ball. However, his innings in the second innings of the Lord's Test match in 2011 promised much. With wickets falling around him, Raina produced a defiant 78. His assured off-side play during the innings drew much praise. Should Raina get a chance in the Australia Tests, the memory of having played this innings in bowler-friendly conditions should give him a lot of confidence.
101(60) v South Africa, Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St. Lucia 2010
Suresh Raina smashed a 59-ball century as India defeated South Africa in the T20 WC
Raina lit up the 2010 T20 WC with an explosive innings against a South African attack comprising Dale Steyn, the Morkel brothers, Rory Kleinveldt and Jacques Kallis. Raina walked in at No. 3 in the very first over and by the time he was dismissed in the 20th over, he had scored more than half of India's total of 186. His innings of 101 contained 9 fours and 5 sixes, his second fifty coming in just 17 deliveries. South Africa got close, but Raina's innings proved to be the difference. Raina is a member of an elite list of cricketers to have scored an international century in all three formats.
87(25) v Kings XI Punjab, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, 2014
Raina scored the second fastest fifty in IPL history as CSK almost pulled off an improbable win
Only a run-out could eventually stop Suresh Raina on a warm Mumbai evening. Chasing 227 against Kings XI Punjab, for a place in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final, Raina sent more than a passing shover down the opposition. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) got exactly 100 runs in six powerplay overs. 87 off those were scored by Raina. To put the innings in perspective, the previous highest team score at the end of the powerplay was 86! When a hesitation in taking a single ended his innings, the target was reduced to a very gettable 126 off 14 overs which the Chennai middle order somehow managed to botch. Nevertheless, the innings from IPL's top run-getter ranks among the very best.
109(62) v Kolkata Knight Riders, Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, 2014
Suresh Raina completed his third T20 century as CSK walked to their second Champions League title with an over and a half to spare
Suresh Raina has always been the go-to man for Chennai Super Kings. He holds the distinction of having not missed even a single game for the IPL franchise. On this night in Bangalore, Raina made light of a target of 181 to take CSK to their second CLT20 title. Again, walking in at the fall of an early wicket, Raina exemplified nimble footwoork as he continuously stepped out to the spinners and hit straight over their heads. Team-mate Brendon McCullum termed this Raina innings, 'World Class'.
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