Here's why "Mr. IPL" Suresh Raina announces his retirement from all forms of cricket, including the IPL
India has always produced some of the greats of the game. The former Indian batter, Suresh Raina, was one such player, who proved his worth at every level he played at. On Tuesday, Raina announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.
Notably, he had already announced his international retirement on August 15, 2020, soon after the former Indian skipper MS Dhoni took the reitement. The veteran took to the social media platform and shared a post announcing his retirement from domestic cricket and the IPL.
It means that he will not play in the Indian Premier League now. He was a vital part of India's 2011 ODI World Cup triumph under the leadership of MS Dhoni. He will not take part in the upcoming domestic season for Uttar Pradesh either.
He tweeted, "It has been an absolute honour to represent my country & state UP. I would like to announce my retirement from all formats of Cricket. I would like to thank @BCCI, @UPCACricket, @ChennaiIPL, @ShuklaRajiv sir & all my fans for their support and unwavering faith in my abilities."
It has been an absolute honour to represent my country & state UP. I would like to announce my retirement from all formats of Cricket. I would like to thank @BCCI, @UPCACricket, @ChennaiIPL, @ShuklaRajiv sir & all my fans for their support and unwavering faith in my abilities 🇮🇳
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) September 6, 2022
In his 13-year-long international career, Raina represented India in a total of 18 Test matches, 226 ODIs and 78 T20Is. He scored 768 runs in tests with a century on debut and seven half-centuries in his red-ball career. He also had 5615 ODI runs at 35.31 with 5 centuries and 35 half-centuries.
In T20Is, Raina gathered 1604 runs at an average and strike rate of 29.16 and 134.79 and was the first Indian to score a T20I century. He was also the first Indian to score a century in all three formats.
Speaking of his IPL career, he ended up as an IPL great. He was known as "Mr. IPL" for various reasons. Raina made 5528 runs in 205 IPL innings at an average and strike rate of 32.52 and 136.73 with 1 century and 39 half-centuries. He had the most runs, most half-centuries, and most catches as a fielder for CSK.
However, CSK didn't sign him in the 2022 auction, which was a surprise, and he went unsold. And there is a little speculation that after retiring from the IPL, he could play a few overseas T20 leagues.
Notbaly, earlier Raina hinted that he will continue playing cricket for next 2 and 3 years. In an interview with Dainik Jagran he said, "I want to continue playing cricket for two or three years. I will play in the Road Safety Series. T20 franchises from South Africa, Sri Lanka and UAE have contacted me but I am yet to take any decision."