Suresh Raina has had a wonderful career for India. Having won almost everything there is to win in the game, Raina is now in the last phase of his international career. While he still continues to pile the runs in IPL cricket, he has not always transferred that form into international scene.
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In a sit down interview with Firstpost, Raina speaks about his career as well as his long term captain, MS Dhoni. He specifically mentions how Dhoni has played a great role in his career, and how he stays calm under pressure.
“He’s been very calm under pressure. He does (make) mistakes when the bowler thinks he is done. When the bowler thinks I have had his number, then he will start his brain. So he is way ahead of the bowler. That’s what made him so successful. I have batted with him for so many years. I have batted with him at five, six, seven, we have chased at nine, 10, 11 per over.”
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“We’ve been complementing each other really well. I tell him I will hit him (a particular bowler), he will say just have a look at him first. I tell him you play the sheet anchor’s role. Then sometimes, I feel that he will go after the bowling, so at that time he will say you play your natural game and I will attack. In the 2015 World Cup game against Zimbabwe in Hamilton, we were down in the dumps at 92/4 chasing 288 but still we didn’t give up our natural game.”
“I kept on attacking, he was absorbing the pressure and then he took the aggressive approach and I slowed down. So we complement each other really well. (Raina scored 110 not out and Dhoni remained unbeaten on 85). I know his nature. If I go after the bowling, he won’t stop me. When you spend so much of time on and off the field, you get a lot of confidence from your captain, teammate and most importantly, your friend. Because you know he will never misguide you.”
