Guwahati: Former Indian batsman Suresh Raina has turned 34 today. His ability to keep calm under pressure helped him deliver on many occasions. Raina, who retired from international cricket on 15 August this year along with Dhoni, is spending his birthday with family in Maldives.
He has battled several challenges to rescue the team in times of crisis.
The former Team India all-rounder touched heights in cricket and achieved everything that a cricketer can dream off.
Born in Ghaziabad on 27 November 1986, Raina played 226 ODIs, 78 T20s and 18 Test matches for India. Raina scored 6 centuries and 48 half-centuries in international cricket. The left-handed batsman scored 5615 in ODIs, 1605 in T20 and 768 in Tests. He is also one of the highest run-scorers in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has represented two franchises — Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Lions — over the past 11 years. Raina scored a century in all three formats and 100 catches in ODI fielding.
If we remember, Raina played a key role in helping India to win the 2011 World Cup. His innings played against Australia in the quarter-finals and Pakistan in the semi-finals is still fresh in every cricket loving fans mind.
Suresh Raina made his debut against Sri Lanka on 30 July 2005. Raina was given the debut cap by Captain Rahul Dravid. But for him, his first match didn’t turn out to be a good one. Raina lost his wicket on the very first ball. He was dismissed (LBW) by Muthaiya Murlidharan. However, Raina never looked back after this.
Talking about Raina’s personal life, he faced many challenges.
Raina’s father was employed under Indian Army at the Ordnance Factory. But due to a large family and low income it was not easy for Raina to fulfill his dreams.
Because of this, he decided to go to Lucknow and study there. Along with studies he was also pursuing sports while staying in hostels there.
However, it was not so easy for him. The excessive and brutal bullying from seniors wrecked such havoc in Suresh’s mind that he contemplated suicide.
In an interview with Indian Express, Raina once shared that while sleeping on a newspaper on the floor between berths in a train-on the way to a match, Suresh felt a weight on his chest and even before he could open his eyes, his hands were pinned down. A big kid was on his chest, and had started urinating on his face. After a brief tussle, even as the train was grinding to a halt, Suresh pushed the bully off him – “ek ghoosa maara, and threw him off the train”.
Despite all these difficulties and tortures, Raina did not give up and left the hostel with a new resolve and moved to another place. He started cricket with Air India and did not look back after that.
After Raina announced his retirement on 21st August 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a letter via Twitter. Suresh Raina intends to set up a cricket academy soon in Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Suresh Raina to set up the academy.
The Indian cricketer also announced that under his Gracia Raina foundation he will do social welfare activities on his birthday. He is planning to provide water and sanitation facilities for around 34 government schools in Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi.
On personal front, Suresh Raina is married to Priyanka Chaudhary. The two married each other in 2015 and the couple gave birth to their daughter Gracia Raina in 2016.
On March 23, 2020, Priyanka gave birth to their first son and Gracia’s younger brother, whom they named Rio Raina.
Here is a look at some of the wishes poured in by fans for Raina’s 34th birthday occasion as #HappyBirthdayRaina continues to trend on Twitter.
2011 World Cup-winner ?
2013 Champions Trophy-winner ?
A top-notch fielder ?
Swashbuckling batsman ?Wishing @ImRaina a very happy birthday. ??
Let’s relive his stroke-filled fifty against England ??https://t.co/MlM0SUqEgt pic.twitter.com/2gIONzbpYr
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 27, 2020
Three’s a charm and truly so! Super Birthday Chinna Thala, all the #yellove to you! ?? #WhistlePodu #HappyBirthdayRaina pic.twitter.com/6EFkijBg2M
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) November 26, 2020
Sureshi boy! It’s your birthday! Here’s wishing you great success in all your endeavors. Get back to smashing the ball out of the park! Have a wonderful day today and a great year ahead ??@ImRaina pic.twitter.com/ogv2YD0XYE
— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) November 27, 2020
Wishing you lots of laughter and solid next few years on the field on your birthday bro @ImRaina #HappyBirthdaySureshRaina pic.twitter.com/XhjrU6vbYg
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) November 27, 2020
Birthday greetings to a great cricketer, a wonderful player and a good human being @ImRaina ?
I wish him all the best in his endeavor to train budding cricketers and for different sports across Jammu & Kashmir and other parts of the country! pic.twitter.com/j5p5HgGWEW— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) November 27, 2020
