Is Raina coming back to CSK: Suresh Raina comeback in IPL 2022 happening or not

Suresh Raina comeback IPL 2022: The legendary Indian Premier League batter isn’t playing the ongoing season.

Former India and Chennai Super Kings batter Suresh Raina’s craze and stature in the Indian Premier League can be judged from the fact that talks about his comeback are prevalent despite him moving on to other occupational roles in life.

An all-time IPL great, Raina held the milestone of being the highest run-scorer in the IPL for a long time before being surpassed by former Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli. It is due to the same reason that Raina was nicknamed “Mr. IPL” back in the day.

Raina, 35, had announced retirement from international cricket in August 2020. While Raina missed the IPL season in the UAE that year, he represented Super Kings in IPL 2021 but for moderate returns.

In a massive decision ahead of IPL 2022 mega auction, CSK had decided to release their highest run-scorer. Raina, who had registered himself in the highest price category of INR 2 crore during the auction earlier this year, remained unsold.

Suresh Raina comeback IPL 2022

Subsequently, Raina joined a star-studded 85-member IPL 2022 commentary panel for host broadcaster Star Sports. Since then, Raina has called various matches in Hindi alongside the likes of Aakash Chopra, Irfan Pathan, Mohammed Kaif, Ravi Shastri and others.

Despite his commentary stint, multiple reports around Raina’s comeback as a player have been floating around in the media. With Chennai pacer Deepak Chahar ruled out of IPL 2022 and the franchise yet to name a replacement, fans on social media have suggested Super Kings to rope in Raina for the remainder of IPL 2022.

That being said, nothing official on this matter has been confirmed by either the franchise or Raina. It would be quite a decision if CSK opt to replace an in-form pacer with a former cricketer (specialist batter).

Raina, who has scored 5,528 runs in 200 IPL innings at an average and strike rate of 32.52 and 136.76 respectively, is currently the fifth-highest run-scorer in the history of the tournament but hasn’t played competitive cricket since IPL 2021.