Just like all good things must come to an end, cricket pundits believe that it’s the end of the road for Suresh Raina in IPL.
Recognized as Mr. IPL, Suresh Raina has been an integral part of the tournament. CSK bought him in the inaugural edition of the tournament. And he stuck with them for the rest of his career.
He was a part of the Gujarat Lions during the 2016 and 2017 editions when CSK was serving a ban. And took a break from the tournament due to personal reasons in 2020.
Other than that, Suresh Raina has always been around. In his 13-year-long career, he has smashed 5528 runs in a total of 205 matches.
Currently, he’s the fourth-highest run-getter in the tournament. He was bestowed with Mr. IPL’s title for his consistent performance in the tournament.
Suresh Raina had great numbers over the years
Raine hit 400+ in six consecutive years of the tournament for CSK. Despite playing in new colors Raina didn’t lose his golden touch. He scored 399 and 442 runs in the two seasons with Gujarat.
CSK repurchased him for the 2018 season, which they won with a bang. Raina seemed to be on the peak of his form. He scored a whooping 383 runs in that season to see his side over the line.
After opting out of the 2020 edition, he was back in the squad for 2021. CSK sealed their fourth title victory that year, but Raina lost his place due to poor form. He could only manage to score 160 runs in 12 games.
As a result of his struggles in 2021, which were quite palpable, his age, which is over 35 and his high base prize of 2.00 cr, nobody opted to bid for him.
Fans had hoped for him to get retained by CSK in the second accelerator round. But that too didn’t happen.
The fact that CSK opted to buy players like Bravo, Rayudu, and Uthappa but left out Raina was not taken well by the CSK fans. The loyal followers of CSK showcased their discontent on social media.
Some even lashed out at MS Dhoni for letting this happen to his deputy, aka Chinna Thala. Whatever the reasons for CSK’s snub of Raina may be, everyone wants Mr. IPL to have a proper farewell.
