Former India batter Suresh Raina captained in a total of 34 Indian Premier League matches. Even though he could’ve been a full-time skipper for some other team but leaving Chennai Super Kings was never an option. His camaraderie with CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was such that the latter always wanted him to be by his side as his deputy.
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A loyal Super Kings soldier throughout the course of his 13-year long IPL career, Raina never played for any other franchise in the years when Chennai participated in the competition. This, despite getting captaincy offers from other teams, clearly explains the extent to which Raina was faithful to the Yellow jersey.
Popularly referred to as Chinna Thala by their fans, Raina never let them down by trying to make a switch even when he was made to warm the bench in the last two seasons.
For the unversed, it is this franchise’s unmatched team environment which often sees almost all former players talking highly about it. A family-like bond between the players comprising them playing with children of other players is a joy to behold during an IPL season.
Having Captained In 34 IPL Matches, Suresh Raina Had No Desire Of Leaving CSK For Leadership Role Elsewhere
Raina, who didn’t miss a single match for Super Kings between 2008-2015, was promoted as Thala‘s deputy before leading the team for the first time in 2010 in the absence of an injured Dhoni.
The left-handed batter first led Chennai in an away IPL 2010 league match against Delhi Capitals (then Daredevils). Raina scoring 49 (34) with the help of three fours and sixes each played a pivotal role in his team chasing down a 186-run target with 5 wickets in hand.
Raina, who led Gujarat Lions in 29 matches across a couple of seasons when CSK were suspended from the cash-rich league, last led his beloved team in an IPL 2019 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Unlike the first match, Chennai ended up losing that match primarily due to a batting failure in the first innings.
Speaking to Zee News earlier this month, Raina revealed how he never had any aspirations of becoming a captain. He further insisted that Dhoni wanted him to stay with the team.
“[MS] Dhoni bhai would say ‘Don’t go elsewhere, I am the captain and you are the vice-captain’. I said, ‘I don’t have aspirations to be captain’. I always felt I was a team player and was happy to help out teammates or sort their problems.”
Raina’s bond with Dhoni was such that he announced retirement from international cricket minutes after his captain bid adieu to the sport at the highest level. All of 33 then, Raina has never expressed any regret about his decision.
Why Didn’t CSK Buy Suresh Raina in IPL 2022 Auction?
Released by CSK ahead of IPL 2022 mega auction, Raina had entered the auction with a base price of INR 2 crore only to remain unsold. Facing severe criticism for not retaining or buying back their highest run-scorer in spite of having no budget constraints, Chennai CEO Kasi Viswanath had admitted that it was a tough decision to leave Raina out.
“Of course, it was very difficult for us. Not to have Raina but at the same time, you should also understand that the team composition depends on the form and kind of team which any team would like to have. So that’s one of the reasons why we thought he may not fit into this team,” Viswanath said in a video uploaded on CSK’s YouTube channel.
Despite the clarification, the fans were quite upset with the franchise. It is to be noted that Raina had a quiet IPL 2020 with the bat. He managed to score just 160 runs in 12 matches at an average of 17.78. This proved to be his last IPL season he announced his retirement from all formats last year.
