Suresh Raina on Sunday officially communicated to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about his decision to retire from international cricket. The cricket board confirmed the same through a press release. BCCI president Sourav Ganguly called Raina “one of the key performers in limited overs cricket for India” and said he along with MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh formed a solid middle order. “Suresh Raina has been one of the key performers in limited overs cricket for India. Coming lower down the order and playing some of the match-winning knocks requires a lot of skill and talent. He along with Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni formed a solid middle order for India in ODIs. I wish him and his family all the very best,” the press release quoted Ganguly as saying. Suresh Raina Pens Emotional Note After Retirement With a Beautiful Video on ‘Zindagi Kuch Toh Bata’ Song, Says ‘Cricket Runs Through My Veins’ (View Post).

Jay Shah, Honorary Secretary, BCCI termed Raina of the best T20 batsmen. “Suresh Raina has been arguably one of the finest T20 batsmen. A live wire on the field, Raina’s prowess as a left-handed batsman was exhibited throughout his cricketing career. A big match player, Raina’s cameo against Australia in the quarterfinal in the 2011 World Cup was a testimony to his glittering career that followed. I wish him all the very best in the second innings of his career,” he said.

The release carried Arun Singh Dhumal, BCCI Honorary Treasurer’s  quote as well. “I would like to congratulate Suresh Raina on the phenomenal career that he had for Team India. An exceptional fielder and a match-winner, Raina was a treat watch in white-ball cricket. Your energy and skills will be missed. I wish you all the luck in your future endeavours,” Arun said. MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina Announce Retirement From International Cricket: 144 vs England and Other Match-Winning Partnerships.

Raina represented India in 18 Tests, 226 ODIs and 78 T20Is in an international career spanning 13 years. He was part of the victorious World Cup winning team in 2011. Raina is the youngest to lead an India men’s T20I side and was also a member of the side that played in India’s first-ever T20I. The southpaw is also the first Indian to score a century in the T20 World Cup. Under his captaincy, India registered a 3-2 series victory in West Indies and a 2-0 win over Bangladesh in ODIs and a 2-0 T20I series win in Zimbabwe. Raina, who scored a century on debut in Tests, is also the first Indian to have hundreds in all three formats of the game and his centuries were scored outside India.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 16, 2020 11:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).