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Suresh Raina has played some key innings for India which cannot be forgotten. He was one of the finest fielders in the world & was a handy part-time bowler too. Total team man & gave his 100% in the field. Here’s looking at some key contributions & career highlights of Raina
Made his debut as a 18-year-old in 2005. In his 14th ODI, Raina played a defining knock v England at Faridabad. Chasing 227, India were 80/4 in the 22nd over when Raina walked in. And then 92/5 in the 25th over. Added 108 for 6th wkt with MS Dhoni. Scored 81*(89) & was MOTM
Suresh Raina was awarded Border Gavaskar scholarship with Shikhar Dhawan & Y Venugopal Rao in 2004. Raina was one of the best young batsmen in India that time. He had made his FC debut at 16 in the 2002/03 season. Scored his first FC ton at 17 v Andhra Pradesh in 2003/04 season
Raina was part of the 2004 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh. Eventually made his debut at Dambulla in 2005. Greg Chappell backed youngsters & Raina got many opportunities. Scored 81* v England at Faridabad & invaluable 61 in the next game at Margao
Raina played India’s first ever T20 International at Johannesburg in 2006. Unfortunately he missed out on a place in the 2007 WC in the Caribbean. There was competition for places. Raina had not scored a fifty in 16 innings yet played crucial knocks. Was very promising at 19
Suresh Raina made a comeback in the Indian team in the Kitply Cup in June 2008. His moment of reckoning came in the Asia Cup that followed. He had telling contributions in three successive games — 101(68) v HK (1st ODI ton), 84(69) v Pakistan & 116*(107) v Bangladesh at Karachi.
During this phase Raina became an integral part of the ODI setup. Some key knocks: 53 at Colombo (was run-out as MSD called for a tight single), 76 at Colombo (MOTM), 53* v Eng at Cuttack, 54 v SL at Dambulla in 2009, 49* at Colombo, 61* in Christchurch T20, 66 in Napier ODI
2010: Raina scored a hundred in the final of the tri-nation tournament against Sri Lanka at Dhaka. India were reeling at 60/5 in the 11th over. India scored 245 but lost by 4 wickets. Raina was part of the Indian squad for 2nd Test in Kolkata
2010: Player of the Match in the IPL final v MI. Became the first Indian to score a ton in T20I — v SA at Gros Islet. He was made the captain for the Zimbabwe tour. Virat Kohli & R Ashwin made their T20I debuts under Suresh Raina
2010: Raina was part of the Indian squad for the tour of Sri Lanka. He made his debut in the 2nd Test as Yuvraj wasn’t well. Raina scored a century on Test debut & added 256 for the 5th wicket with Sachin Tendulkar. Became the first Indian to score hundreds in all three formats
2010: Raina was preferred over Yuvraj for the third Test. He scored 62 & 41* as India won by 5 wickets. Scored 86 v Australia in the Mohali Test (1st innings). Raina was one of India’s key members in all three formats
Suresh Raina played a crucial knock v Australia at Visakhapatnam in 2010. Walked in with India needing 118 off 98 balls. Kohli scored a ton but Raina finished the game. Scored 71* off 47 balls with 9 fours & 1 six. https://www.bcci.tv/videos/29259/rewind-the-clock-2010-suresh-raina-s-71-not-out-in-2nd-odi
Raina was part of the 2011 WC squad but Yusuf Pathan was part of the Playing XI. Raina got 4 v WI in Chennai. Yusuf was dropped in the QF and Raina was picked. Raina played one of the most crucial knocks in that game under high pressure and got a match-winning p'ship with Yuvraj
When MSD was out India needed 74 off 75 balls with 5 wickets in hand. Raina remained unbeaten on 34 off 28 balls as India won by 5 wickets. In the semi-final, Raina's 36* helped India reach a total of 260 which was competitive. Those two knocks were very important for India
In the game v SL at Hobart where India needed to chase 321 inside 40 overs to get the bonus point, Kohli scored a brilliant 133* off 86 balls. It was Suresh Raina who too played a crucial knock - 40* off 24 balls. It was amazing hitting. Can't forget Raina's role in that win
Home series v England in 2013:
In 2013 in the ODI series v England, Raina scored 50 at Rajkot, 55 at Kochi, 89* at Mohali and 83 at Dharamsala - 4 fifties in 4 innings!
He won his first Player of the Series Award in ODIs
In 2013 in the ODI series v England, Raina scored 50 at Rajkot, 55 at Kochi, 89* at Mohali and 83 at Dharamsala - 4 fifties in 4 innings!
He won his first Player of the Series Award in ODIs
Part of the victorious Champions Trophy 2013. His slip catching was one of the key factors for India.
In 2014, Raina hit a century against England at Cardiff. As India went to the 2015 as defending champions, Raina made an impact in that tournament.
In 2014, Raina hit a century against England at Cardiff. As India went to the 2015 as defending champions, Raina made an impact in that tournament.
WC 2015: Suresh Raina scored 74 off 56 against Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval, match-winning 110* off 104 v Zimbabwe at Eden Park & invaluable 65 off 57 balls in the quarter final against Bangladesh at the MCG. India lost in the SF - the only game they lost in the WC
At Adelaide, when Virat Kohli was taking a single to reach his 100th run it was Suresh Raina who punched the air while taking the run & celebrated before Kohli. Absolute team man & selfless cricketer. His contribution of 74 runs off 56 balls was selfless. Targetted the spinners
One of Raina’s most underrated knocks came in the 2010 Asia Cup v Pakistan. India needed 48 off 5 overs & in the 46th over he hit Ajmal for a four & a huge six. Hit a six off Shoaib in the 49th over. His 34 off 27 balls was a match-winning innings.
Raina last played for India in 2018 in the Leeds ODI. He batted in the middle order & registered invaluable contributions. Perhaps, one wonders in hindsight if he could’ve batted at 4 in the 2019 WC. It’ll be tough to find another player like Suresh Raina
Sometimes scoreboard won’t tell you what an impact certain cricketers can have! Punching the air when Kohli completed his ton—selflessness.Hitting a 6 off Ajmal in Asia Cup at a key stage! Two key knocks in WC 2011. Will remember Raina as someone who gave his all in the field 
