Raina announced his retirement from international cricket in August 2020, just moments after the iconic former India captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, made his own retirement announcement.
Former Indian middle-order batter Suresh Raina is playing for the India Maharajas in the third edition of Legends League Cricket (LLC), which is taking place in Doha these days. The 36-year-old left-handed batter, who announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020, was in good touch during the team’s fourth league game on Wednesday (March 16). After coming out to bat at No. 4 against the World Giants, he top-scored for the Maharajas by making 49 runs. During his 41-ball stay at the crease, he scored two boundaries and smoked three sixes. But his effort didn’t prove to be enough in the end, as riding on Chris Gayle’s 57, the Giants chased down the target of 137 runs in 18.4 overs for the loss of seven wickets.
The defeat on Wednesday was Maharajas third in four matches played so far. With just two points, they sit at the bottom of the points table but can still go on and win the title. In a forgetful campaign for the Maharajas so far, Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, and Raina have impressed with their batting. While Gambhir has already scored three back-to-back fifties, Uthappa remained unbeaten on 88 from 39 balls during the team’s third match.
After Raina's exceptional performance on Wednesday, a reporter asked during the post-match conference, "Everyone wants you back in the IPL after your outstanding performance tonight in Legends League Cricket." Raina responded with a witty remark, saying, "I am Suresh Raina, not Shahid Afridi. I have already retired," and burst into laughter.
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Former Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi has made multiple comebacks from retirement throughout his illustrious playing career. This is precisely why Raina cited him as a reference.
Raina announced his retirement from international cricket in August 2020, just moments after the iconic former India captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, made his own retirement announcement. Following his retirement, Raina continued to play for the Chennai Super Kings for two more seasons before being released by the franchise ahead of the 2022 edition.
Unfortunately, despite his impressive track record, Raina was unable to secure a spot in the IPL auction ahead of the 2023 season, leading him to retire from all forms of cricket in September of the same year.
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