A left-handed dynamo, Raina performed a pivotal function in Republic of India’s limited-overs luck, contributing considerably to the crew’s triumph within the 2011 ICC ODI International Cup.Raina additionally turned into the primary Indian to attain centuries in all 3 codecs of the sport.
Within the Indian Premier League (IPL), Raina was once a stalwart for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), contributing immensely to their luck. He performed a an important function in CSK’s a couple of IPL identify victories and emerged because the event’s perfect run-scorer in numerous seasons.
Excluding his on-field exploits, what inspired maximum about Raina is his selflessness and all the time hanging crew first forward of himself. Those qualities are preferred by means of Dwayne Smith, a West Indian cricketing icon and previous Chennai Tremendous Kings teammate of Raina.
Urbanrisers Hyderabad’s Dwayne Smith all through the Legends League Cricket 2023. (ANI Photograph)
In an unique chat with TimesofIndia.com, Smith, who performed for Urbanrisers Hyderabad beneath the management of Raina within the 2023 Legends League Cricket (LLC) T20, asserted, “I know I’ve said it many times already about Suresh Raina, but he’s the best cricketer I’ve ever met on and off the field. He just thinks about the team first, then himself and that selflessness of him is so perfect.
“I’ve watched him from the years I’ve performed with him, even enjoying in opposition to him, and you spot how he strikes about, and it’s so excellent to look that he’s all the time seeking to backup any individual. He helped a quantity of folk, I feel not too long ago you heard Rinku Singh speak about him, so it’s excellent to look and I’m hoping that he’ll proceed, I do know that he’ll proceed (to backup).”
‘Being an opening batsman is like driving a car’
Opening an inning with the bat is a craft in itself. And it takes a lot to master the art of facing the new deliveries swinging in all directions. Elaborating on the challenges that opening batsmen face in the shorter format of the game, Smith said, “It’s a quantity (tricky) since you’re the person who has to start out the engine, get the automobile shifting and proceed to hold it throughout the move or every now and then put it ready the place it could proceed the move. But it surely’s very difficult. I’ve all the time appreciated it from the very week I were given that chance to noticeable the batting.”
West Indies cricketers (AP Photograph)
Causes in the back of West Indies‘ dip in ODIs
Shockwaves were felt across the cricketing world when West Indies, the two-time world champions, couldn’t qualify for the 2023 edition of the ODI World Cup in India.
Diving deep into the root cause of this catastrophic collapse, Smith dissected, “Since Covid, they haven’t had a lot cricket, they’ve performed about 10 video games and that is what, 3, 4 years now since Covid. So you spot the extra. We don’t play games enough quantity cricket. The whole lot is shortened, the four-day season is shortened, the 50-over is in a rush i’m sick and also you don’t have enough quantity week to look a participant manufacture or in fact have enough quantity video games over an extended length of week to mention this man may well be excellent.”
“At this time, we’re on the level the place you’re simply choosing folk as a result of they carried out (within the future). They pick out some as a result of they call to mind the skill they’ve. However I feel that our management has a quantity to do with our performances in cricket, they usually wish to put extra cricket video games in playground for us to in fact advance in the market and carry out in opposition to those guys from all over the world,” added the 40-year-old West Indian.
‘West Indies are far behind’
Visibly disappointed by the overall downfall of West Indies cricket, Smith asked the board and its players to play a collective role in ensuring the resurrection of their cricket. He underlined, “Have a look at the Netherlands, Afghanistan, and Scotland. The ones guys performed in opposition to us and beat us. You don’t need that. I’ve been a part of the West Indies crew so I do know what is going on. You’ll’t compete with the likes of Virat Kohli and Steve Smith in tournaments whilst you don’t have enough quantity preparation. I’m now not moving to knock i’m sick the board or the management the entire week. I cruel probably the most gamers wish to get their occupation in combination too. They wish to to find tactics to kind themselves out. However our management wishes a quantity of labor. It wishes a quantity of labor. I’m very critical. We’re means in the back of on the subject of global cricket.”
Expressing his love for the West Indies cricket, he admitted, “I don’t wish to sugarcoat issues. I like West Indies cricket. I’m now not moving to prohibit loving West Indies cricket. However we wish to do one thing with our crew as a result of we’re now not advertising and marketing our crew correctly, and we’re now not giving them enough quantity alternatives to mention that they are able to compete on the planet.”
Jason Holder, proper, with Andre Russell (AP Photograph)
Expectations from T20 World Cup
West Indies will co-host the upcoming T20 World Cup with the USA in 2024, with 20 teams in total competing for the coveted trophy over the month of June.
Hoping for a positive reaction from the West Indies team in the cricketing extravaganza, Smith opined, “We’re enjoying at house, and it’s statuses that we’re conversant in. I truly suppose if the fellows are up for it, they are able to installed excellent performances. We’ve carried out in T20s ahead of and we now have a quantity of fellows that play games T20 cricket, so optimistically the vast majority of them can get into the International Cup squad and installed some excellent performances for the crew to turn a excellent face within the International Cup.”
IPL public sale 2023: Mitchell Starc breaks information with Rs. 24.75 cr offer to fix Kolkata Knight Riders
