Raina needs to show his class in Super League
LUCKNOW:It’s time for Team India discard Suresh Raina to get back his own confidence of being the match-winner, when he leads Uttar Pradesh in the Super League of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Twenty20, at the Eden Gardens on Monday.
Raina, who scored 26 as his best so far against Railways in the last five Twenty20 matches in the domestic circuit, needs to play big role as Uttar Pradesh take on hosts Bengal in their opening match on Monday evening. Scores of his last five innings read 13, 1, 26, 2, and 13.
The 31-year-old cricketer, who has been retained by his former franchise Chennai Super Kings for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League has been in a dull form with willow this season. The Super League would be the final chance for him to showcase his strength with willow before the IPL.
His struggle with willow seems to have become a routine since being dropped from the Test and ODI teams two years ago. A big knock from his bat came only in November 2015, and thereafter his struggle is still on.
With big knock from his bat in all matches of the Duleep Trophy this season, Raina found the going tough even in Ranji Trophy matches.
Much was expected from him in the Twenty20 event, but Raina failed to deliver a performance, which could really stir the selectors.
Bengal, which lost their opening match to Baroda in a close finish on Sunday, would be hungry for a win on Monday, and if Raina came to his own, he has the ability to destroy all kind of bowling attacks in the domestic circuit.
There would be no time for Raina and Co to get a break as after playing with Bengal on Monday, UP will play against Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, against Baroda on Wednesday before playing against Delhi on Thursday.
In the central zone league at Raipur last week, Uttar Pradesh had a dramatic finish as they came from behind to win their all three matches to finish second in the zone. Interestingly, they had lost their first two matches. On the contrary, Bengal had four wins in as many as matches in East Zone.