Published 14:52 IST, August 19th 2020
IPL pays tribute to retired Suresh Raina via 2018 run out of Robin Uthappa; watch video
Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina is expected to represent the CSK franchise in the upcoming Indian Premier League 2020 (IPL 2020) season in the UAE.
Suresh Raina announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, mere moments after his Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni made a similar declaration. The attacking southpaw shared a picture of himself along with his CSK teammates on Instagram to confirm his exit from the game. To commemorate the occasion of Suresh Raina's retirement, the Indian Premier League (IPL) paid a fitting tribute on their social media accounts by sharing one of his fielding spectacles from an earlier edition of the tournament.
Suresh Raina retirement post on Instagram
Suresh Raina retirement: IPL pays tribute to CSK warhorse
On April 10, 2018, an MS Dhoni-led CSK took on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium. In the fifth match of the 2018 event, KKR reached 81-3 in just eight overs with a well-settled Robin Uthappa batting on 29. On the second ball of the ninth over, the right-handed batsman punched a good length delivery from Shane Watson towards cover where a diving and agile Suresh Raina stopped the ball. Uthappa scampered for a run but found himself short of the crease as the CSK veteran disturbed the furniture at the non-striker’s end with a direct hit.
IPL goes through archives for Suresh Raina retirement tribute, watch video
IPL 2020: Suresh Raina in CSK
Suresh Raina's retirement from international cricket aside, the attacking left-hander is now expected to dazzle his fans in yellow through the upcoming IPL 2020 season. The 33-year-old first represented the franchise in the inaugural edition of the tournament and has remained associated with them across all seasons (barring 2016 and 2017). During the IPL 2020 trading and transfer between November and December 2019, the CSK franchise retained Suresh Raina for a staggering amount of ₹11 crore ($1.5 million).
In IPL 2020, he will be reunited with his skipper MS Dhoni. The much-awaited event will be the first-ever edition where both Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni will take the field as “former Indian cricketers”. IPL 2020 is currently scheduled to commence from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Also Read | MS Dhoni Retirement: His LAST Activity Before Announcing Retirement Revealed By CSK Supporter
Image credits: IPLT20.com
Updated 14:52 IST, August 19th 2020