Suresh Raina opens up about team meeting that turned around India's 2011 WC campaign

Indian cricketer Suresh Raina was one of the most important members of the national team not long ago. Suresh Raina was also a vital cog in India's 2011 World Cup triumph. But since the last three years, Suresh Raina has fallen out of favour from the Indian team. The southpaw is struggling to get back into the Indian team and it seems like his international career is in its twilight.

ALSO READ | New Zealand should have been joint winners of 2019 World Cup: Gautam Gambhir

Suresh Raina credits MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar's regular meetings for playing a crucial role in 2011 World Cup victory

Suresh Raina, who played a key role in India's World Cup triumph in 2011, opened up on the efforts of MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar during the World Cup-winning campaign. While speaking to Rohit Sharma in an Instagram live session, Suresh Raina said that Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni organized several team meetings during the tournament. Suresh Raina added that the meetings played a key role in India eventually lifting the World Cup trophy after a wait of 28 years.

ALSO READ | MS Dhoni 'more chatty' than Kane Williamson as captain, says CSK's Mitchell Santner

Suresh Raina went on to reveal how a meeting organised after India's loss to South Africa in the 2011 World Cup helped the team get back on track. Suresh Rains further elaborated on how MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar headed those meetings, were in regular touch with each team member and were extremely calm and composed in the way they presented themselves irrespective of the results.

South Africa had beaten India by 3 wickets in Nagpur in the group stage of the World Cup. Suresh Raina said that the loss against the Proteas came as an eye-opener for the entire team. From being in a comfortable position at 267-2 in 40 overs, India collapsed to a total of 298 eventually. Prior to that game, India had tied the match against England in Bengaluru, putting the hosts in a precarious position.

The southpaw said that the team meetings were held at the right time, which helped the Indian team understand their mistakes and improve before the knockout stages of the tournament. It is believed that Mike Horn, the famous South African-Swiss explorer, motivated the Indian team too at the insistence of his friend and the then Indian head coach, Gary Kirsten over overcoming any adversity. 

ALSO READ | Gautam Gambhir, Irfan Pathan's anecdotes confirm MS Dhoni is not always 'Captain Cool'

Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina pick combined MI-CSK team

Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, cricketers have resorted to social media to interact with fans. On Tuesday, Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma was involved in an Instagram live session with CSK batting mainstay Suresh Raina. Both players mutually picked a combined Mumbai Indians-Chennai Super Kings XI of all-time.

Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina picked Matthew Hayden and Sachin Tendulkar as their two openers. However, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina decided against naming themselves in the team. Both of them picked CSK star Faf du Plessis at No.3 followed by Ambati Rayudu, who secured the No. 4 position.

Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina had a tough time choosing one star over another. But they had no reluctance in naming MS Dhoni as the captain of the team. They further went on to pick as many as four all-rounders, i.e. Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo. Jasprit Bumrah and Harbhajan Singh made a cut into their team as the two specialist bowlers.

ALSO READ | MS Dhoni was apologetic about lashing out at umpires in IPL 2019 game: Mitchell Santner

IMAGE COURTESY: BCCI