Suresh Raina thanks Virat Kohli for sacrificing his No.3 spot for him
BCCI
Suresh Raina has shared his gratitude towards Virat Kohli for letting him bat at the No.3 position despite the Indian skipper having an excellent record in that role. The Chennai Super Kings star has also added that it is just a matter of time before he makes his comeback to India's ODI side.
After making a comeback to the side after more than a year, Raina enjoyed the confidence from the Indian team management and was promoted in the batting order, ahead of Virat Kohli, who usually bats at No. 3. He also lived up to that reputations and with scores of 15, 31, and 43 and a Man of the Match award, the Uttar Pradesh batsman has shown that he wasn't really out of place in the current set-up. However, instead of basking in the afterglow of satisfactory return and his hard work, Raina lauded Kohli for the way he led the side, and for infusing confidence in his game.
"First of all congrats to India for the way we played in Tests, ODIs and T20Is. We showed what we can achieve as a team in South Africa. The confidence in the dressing room gave us the license to enjoy ourself on the ground and express ourselves. That's why we won this game so beautifully. The way we bowled in the (first) six overs - Bhuvi, Bumrah, Pandya... I think T20 cricket is all about how you put your attitude on the field, and that showed today," Raina was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
"I think when India wins, everything looks nice. The way Virat led the team in the last two months, I think it showed he cares for each and every person. Batting at 3, he was brilliant in 20-20, and gave me the license to go after all the bowlers. I think that showed faith in me. At the same time, I enjoyed batting with Shikhar (Dhawan). He made me more comfortable, and he was telling me 'just look to enjoy yourself, look to express (yourself)', that's what we've done in the first six overs."
In Cape Town, with the ball nipping around under overcast skies, runs were needed to be scored against a softball and there was no time to be slow off the blocks, considering India’s middle-order fragilities. Knowing that this was his best chance to make a statement, Raina started putting on a show of outrageous shot-making ability, one that may give him a chance to forget the horror show of his ODI at Wankhede, where he lost his stumps to a Kagiso Rabada yorker, which is still his last act in ODI cricket.
"Just a matter of a couple of games there, I can assure you that I am going to be there very soon. I worked really hard for two years. Each and every session, I was doing in the gym, on the field, I was just (thinking) when I am going to play for India again," Raina added.
“I think God helped. Thanks to my wife, my kid to make me believe I can go there and wear the jersey again. That's what I think the Indian team does. When you make a lot of sacrifices in your life and at the same time you enjoy your game, (it works out). I worked really hard on my game and my mental toughness."
With the diminishing prowess of MS Dhoni as a finisher supreme, India have been in a desperate search for someone to finish off the game – something that has thrown a possible route back in the side for Raina. And with the 2019 World Cup being only 15 months away, Raina believes that he can be the perfect bill for the slot.
"It is very important for me. From here we play in Sri Lanka and then we have IPL also coming up. And I was part of the World Cup before. I won the WC in 2011 and played first World Cup that I played, I've got the trophy in my house, that's an unbelievable feeling. Coming back to one-day spot, I think I've done well at No. 5."
