New Delhi [India], August 15 : Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina announced his retirement from international cricket on this day five years ago.
Raina was part of the 2011 World Cup-winning team under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. In an international career spanning 13 years, Raina represented India in 18 Tests, 226 ODIs and 78 T20Is.
ODI was the strongest format for Raina as he made 5615 runs from 226 ODIs at an average of 35.31 and a strike rate of 93.50. He has five hundreds and 36 fifties under his belt in the 50-over format.
Raina gathered 1605 runs from 78 T20Is for India. Raina scored a century on his debut in Tests and is also the first Indian to score hundreds in all three formats of cricket, with his centuries coming outside India.
While playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Suresh Raina has 5528 runs to his name in 205 IPL matches with 39 half-centuries and one century at a strike rate of 136.76.
Raina represented the new-age Indian cricketer: An attacking left-hander who went for the big shots with impunity and cleared the field with a flourish when at the top of his game, he was also an electric fielder in the circle.
Raina was firmly associated with Chennai Super Kings, though, and with his captain MS Dhoni; their close relationship even earned him the nickname 'Chinna Thala' (junior leader) to Dhoni's.
Dhoni also announced his retirement from international cricket on the same day. In his maiden captaincy stint, Dhoni led India to the T20 World Cup title in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2007.
In 2011, he ended decades of waiting for the ICC ODI World Cup title. In 2013, while facing immense scrutiny, he silenced his doubters by claiming the Champions Trophy.
With 17,266 international runs, 829 dismissals and 538 matches across formats for India, the 44-year-old etched his name in the history book.
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