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Double shock for the Indian cricket fans: Raina joins Dhoni and bids farewell from International cricket!

By alagu, 15 August, 2020
India, Cricket, MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina

While legendary Indian cricketer Dhoni has shocked the Indian cricket fans by announcing his retirement from the International Cricket on Saturday- August 15, his fellow player and another key batsman Suresh Raina had given a double shock to the cricket fans after he joined Dhoni in bidding a farewell for the Internation Cricket. 

Suresh Raina's announcement has come just minutes after Dhoni's announcement. Raina hadn't made any specific post on announcing the retirement but he took the prospect of announcing the retirement through commenting to Dhoni's post. On August 15, Dhoni took to Instagram and announced his retirement by stating "Thanks a lot for your love and support throughout. From 19.29 hours, consider me as Retired"

While his sudden announcement has saddened his fans, Suresh Raina, by sharing a picture with Dhoni and some of the teammates of Chennai Super Kings, said," It was nothing but lovely playing with you, @mahi7781. With my heart full of pride, I choose to join you in this journey. Thank you India. Jai Hind!". Suresh Raina is a 33-year-old promising cricketer of Team India and he had been staying out of the International Cricket for some time now and he last played in 2018.

 

Dhoni and Raina have been considered as the talented sportsmen with the capabilities of taking on the play against the opponents. The partnership of the duo, which dubbed as the most dangerous combination, had made extraordinary contributions and given victories for Team India and they have been acknowledged as the players of changing the tides in favor of the country at the critical junctures and they had never hesitated to send the balls in the middle of the crowd when and where required. 

Raina has made the debut in the ODI formats on July 30, 2005, one year after Dhoni and he played his first ODI against Sri Lanka at Dambulla. Though he stumbled upon initially to find his grounds, Raina went on to become one of the all-time greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. Apart from being the finest batsman, Raina has also proved that he can do magic on the field through his excellent fielding, becoming one of the best fielders for India. 

Raina played 226 ODIs, 18 Tests, and 78 T20Is for India and he is also the first Indian batsman to register centuries in all three formats of the game. Raina has made a commendable contribution in India's World Cup victory in 2011 and he has also played in the Dhoni-led team that brought ICC Champions Trophy to the country in 2013. 

 

Being one of the respectable cricketers, Raina has scored 5,615 runs in the ODIs and his play in the World Cup 2011 quarter-final has made India enter the semi-finals by sending the Aussies back to home without the World Cup. For the past two years, Raina has been staying out of the International games, and last year, he underwent surgery and he has been one of the most trusted weapons in the fleet led by MS Dhoni on the battlefield.

After a long break, Suresh Raina is getting ready to be on the field for the Chennai Super Kings team and he arrived in Chennai on August 14 for a training camp and on August 21, the Chennai team including Dhoni and Raina would be leaving for the UAE, which would be hosting the current season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. In Chennai, Dhoni is fondly called as 'Thala' and Raina as 'Chinna Thala' and both Thalas are getting ready to rock the field as 'Men in Yellow'. 

 

Suresh Raina has been the second-highest run-scorer in the history of IPL after Virat Kohli. In what has been described as the 'double-shock' for the Indian cricket fans, the back to back announcements of the retirement had become the talk of the town where the fans across the country have been sending their wishes and love for both the players for giving a wonderful game, finest sport, and coolest memories. For the fans, who would be missing these two legendary 'Men in Blue', 'Men in Yellow' will be the ultimate solace to relish their game and thee two legends played in style and walk off in style.

 

Wishes have been pouring for Dhoni following his announcement. His wife Sakshi replied to his post with the emojis of a heart and the folded hands. Chief Minister of Dhoni's home state Jharkhand Hemant Soren has appealed to the BCCI to conduct a match in Ranchi for honoring MS Dhoni. Union Home Minister Amit Shah took to Twitter and said, "World cricket will miss the helicopter shots, Mahi!"

 

Indian Captain and Dhoni's successor Virat Kohli said, "Every cricketer has to end his journey one day, but still when someone you've gotten to know so closely announces that decision, you feel the emotion much more. What you've done for the country will always remain in everyone's heart". BCCI President Sourav Ganguly said, "It is the end of an era. What a player MS Dhoni has been for the country and world cricket. His leadership qualities have been something, which will be hard to match, especially in the shorter format of the game". 

Must-read: 'Thank you MSD for giving us the finest and gentle sport, and the World Cup': We'll miss that 'Man in Blue'!

 

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