One of the big stories from the IPL 2022 mega-auction was that IPL stalwart Suresh Raina went unsold. Known as Mr IPL for his consistent run-scoring over more than a decade, Raina didn’t find any buyer at the auction table.
As big this news was, it wasn’t all that shocking considering Raina, who was the torchbearer of CSK’s batting, has lost his form and his numbers had nosedived.
Suresh Raina had scored over 350 runs each season from 2008 to 2019 and was a bank for CSK in the batting department. However, he pulled out of the IPL 2020 on personal grounds and then flopped in the IPL 2021 – managing only 160 runs in 12 matches at 17 while striking at 125 before he was injured and was replaced by Robin Uthappa in the eleven.
Raina now has reacted after his auction snub. The 2011 World Cup winner asserted that he achievements won’t be forgotten. And he said that he won’t make any decision on his career in haste, but reckoned there are other things in his life that will occupy his mind going forward.
“Sometimes people forget those[achievements]; it is different now. Everyone wants to express the pain of their heart. Sometimes I feel things could be better because I have given my everything to the game. It’s important that it is understood by mind, and felt by the heart…I feel like ‘What do I say now?’ Raina said in a YouTube video.
“When my time will come, I will decide whether to play or not. If I’m not playing, then I have family, life, and plenty of other stuff I love other than cricket.”
Further, Raina made a plea to the BCCI, asking the board to allow its cricketers to play in other franchise leagues. In the current rule for men’s cricketers, only those who have retired from Indian cricket – international, IPL, and domestic – will be allowed to play in leagues outside India.
“I hope that BCCI plans something with franchise leagues that whoever player is not in contract with the BCCI, then he should be allowed to play in leagues outside India. I feel there are many quality players who can learn a lot from playing outside. Whichever league – you can allow us two leagues where the BCCI can tell us to play there since we are not in any IPL team, or in the international team,” he added.
Raina asserted that players who are not playing cricket in India – IPL or domestic – don’t have a plan B after not being picked in the IPL auction. Hence, he believes, playing in tournaments such as CPL or BBL will help such players with some vital game time.
“If we play quality cricket in say CPL or Big Bash to get ready. You can look at many overseas players make comeback in their national side after IPL performances. But if we are neglected, we don’t have any plan B,” the southpaw explained.
Raina is the fourth-highest run-scorer in the IPL history with 5528 runs, scored at an average of 32 and strike rate of 136. He hit 1 century and 39 fifties in his dazzling IPL career while lifting the trophy four times.
