Happy Birthday Suresh Raina: A look at top international knocks by former India batter

Suresh Raina has made an immense contribution to modern-age Indian cricket and his attacking mentality while batting in the middle overs helped India survive many pressure situations. The way Raina performed in the 2011 quarterfinal against Australia and then the semifinal against Pakistan are good illustrations of his composure in big games. Statistically, both can be considered cameos, but they were both priceless. The Southpaw is known for his signature flicks over mid-wicket and lofted inside-out drives, which he executed with elegance when he was in top form.

Apart from the international circuit, Raina showed his dominance in the Indian Premier League, for which he earned the moniker of Mr. IPL.

During his 15-year-long career, Raina appeared in 226 ODIs and 78 T20Is in the Indian outfit and recorded 5615 and 1604 runs respectively. His red-ball career failed to see the rise as he got to play only 18 Tests scoring 768 runs.

Today, Raina is celebrating his 36th birthday. On this special occasion, let’s have a look at his top knocks at the international stage:

100 runs off 75 balls vs England:

Raina seems to be built for difficult circumstances, and this one was no exception as India were coming off a 3-1 series loss and this ODI in Cardiff was an opportunity to make amends. When the contest was quite balanced, Raina stepped into the fray, and with Dhoni, he led the way with a stunning hundred in just 75 balls that included 12 fours and 3 maximums. This enabled India to register a fantastic score of 304 in the 50 overs, and ultimately win the match easily.

36 runs off 39 balls vs Pakistan:

Even though this inning was neither a 50 nor a 100, it is certainly one of the top three most crucial innings Raina has ever played. During this World Cup semi-final match against Pakistan, when India were struggling a bit, he stepped in and skillfully handled the situation while taking singles and hitting fours to keep the scoreboard ticking. He made 36 runs from 39 deliveries at a strike rate of 92 including three fours, which helped India record a decent total of 260 runs and ultimately win the game by 29 runs.

101 runs off 60 deliveries vs South Africa:

This was the very first T20I century registered by an Indian player, and it transpired during the 2010 World Cup against South Africa. The Proteas arguably had the best bowling lineup in the competition which included players like Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel. These bowlers were unprepared for Suresh Raina’s effectiveness, as he went on to score 101 runs in just 60 balls while smacking 9 fours and 5 big sixes, and as a result, India won that contest by 14 runs.

81 runs off 89 balls vs England:

During this early stage of his career, Raina entered the batting order in this particular game when India was struggling. In this match, England batted first and scored a respectable 226 runs. Though it looked like India could win it, the batting collapsed and they went 5-man down in just 92 runs. From here, it was Dhoni and Raina who steered the innings. Raina made a brilliant 81 runs off 89 deliveries to lead India across the victory line. Following this knock, India got their next dependable figure in the batting line-up.

110 runs off 104 balls vs Zimbabwe:

Though it seemed to be an easy assignment for India, Zimbabwe bowlers made it difficult for the Men in Blue. Batting first, Zimbabwe performed admirably and posted 287 runs. Coming in to chase, India was down to 92-4 when the ever-reliable pair of Raina and Dhoni arrived and once again saved the day. Suresh Raina held his nerve and played as an anchor man scoring 110 in 104 balls with the aid of nine fours and four massive sixes. With 8 balls left in the game, India managed to reach home.

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