From the time he burst into the international scene, India’s Suresh Raina has never fretted even when adversity faced him in the eyes. He always stood his ground and, like before, his attitude towards the game still remains the same. The stylish left-hander has gained in experience over the years.
But even now, Raina doesn’t mind his putting his reputation at stake for the sake of his team. Sadly, he is the most under-rated cricketer of this generation. In spite of completing almost 10 years of international cricket, he is not been considered for the Arjuna Award list by the sports establishment.
In these years, he has played 218 ODI matches and scored around 5,500 runs with a strike-rate of 93.80. He also has an average of 36.18, which is very good considering the fact that he bats lower-down the order. In his last ODI appearance against Bangladesh, Raina batted at No. 6 and flourished with some lusty hits to the fence. It was a treat to watch.
Incidentally, when he made his debut against Sri Lanka in 2005, he was in similar position and batted at No.6 slot. In between, he batted for India in different positions, but he is always been used in the team as the biggest utility player. Even when the regular spinners are getting hit, Dhoni generally falls back on him to do the job.
In other words, he is the brand ambassador for the new age Indian cricketers. His attacking approach makes him a special middle-order batsman. Besides, his incredible flourish is a rare quality. He is a live wire even while fielding.
Yes, there have been times when his dodgy technique has cost him a regular place in the Indian Test team, but his relentless effort to maximize his talent has always kept him in the hunt to stay alive in the competition. Now, time has come to stand up and recognize what Raina brings to the table!
