'He is fairly young': Aakash Chopra on Suresh Raina's retirement from int'l cricket

Aakash Chopra has said that Suresh Raina still had a lot of cricket left in him after he has announced his shocking retirement from the game. It so happened that 'Chinna Thala' decided to call it a day from the highest level moments after his former Indian and current CSK skipper, as well as bestie Mahendra Singh Dhoni, had bid adieu to international cricket on Saturday evening.

'He is fairly young': Aakash Chopra

While interacting on his official Youtube channel, Chopra said that Raina is only 33 years old, so he is fairly young. Recalling a recent interview with the southpaw, the former Indian Test opener mentioned that the veteran middle-order batsman had regularly said that he was looking forward to playing for India again and that he was doing his best and would be scoring a lot of runs. At the same time, the senior CSK cricketer also added that he was feeling stronger and hitting the ball well post his knee surgery.

Furthermore, the ex-Delhi batsman also added he was happy because Raina is a special player and there were two T20 World Cups coming in two years for which he should have been considered according to Chopra and then said that 33 is no age for a guy as fit as Suresh Raina. The cricketer-turned-commentator/analyst then mentioned that the 2011 World Cup winner deserved better and reckons that the elegant batsman could have been handled a lot better.

Suresh Raina: When Team India's decorated No.4 batsman went into oblivion

Raina had last played for India in the away limited-overs series against England in 2018. The UP cricketer was an integral part of Team India's 2011 World Cup as well as ICC Champions Trophy 2013 triumphs and was a regular member on the national side. However, his weakness against the short-ball, a slump in form, and injuries meant that he did not find a place in the squad.

The southpaw, who was a part of India's 2011 World Cup-winning squad, has scored over 5,600 ODI runs and 1,605 T20 runs for the Men in Blue. The left-handed batsman was regarded as Team India's permanent number 4, a position following his snub created a void. The 33-year-old mostly played under MS Dhoni and also accompanied his skipper in IPL as he played for the CSK. Raina is also the first batsman to have 5000 runs in the IPL. 

Moments after MS Dhoni announced his retirement on Saturday, Suresh Raina also made his announcement on Instagram. Sharing a picture with his CSK squad including skipper MS Dhoni, Raina wrote, "It was nothing but lovely playing with you, MS Dhoni. With my heart full of pride, I choose to join you in this journey. Thank you India. Jai Hind!"

(Image Courtesy: AP) 

READ: Suresh Raina Recalls His Incredible Cricketing Journey As He Calls It A Day