5 memorable partnerships between MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina
Former Indian cricket team captain MS Dhoni and the team's former vice-captain Suresh Raina have announced their retirements from international cricket, sending shock waves throughout the entire cricket universe.
MS Dhoni played his last international game against New Zealand in the ICC World Cup 2019, while Raina had been absent from the international arena since July 2018.
Both MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina will turn up for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2020, but the Indian cricket team fans will never see them in the blue jersey again.
Both players are incredibly close to each other, and the fact that they decided to announce their international retirement on the same date reinforces the fact.
Their off-the-field bond allowed them to understand each other's game on the field as well, and in this article we will take a look at the five most memorable partnerships between Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni.
#5. Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni - 71 vs. Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2009
Starting with one of their best partnerships in the IPL, MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina once stitched a 71-run stand for the fifth wicket against Rajasthan Royals in East London. Rajasthan bowlers dismissed the opening batsmen Parthiv Patel and Matthew Hayden for single digits.
Suresh Raina launched a counterattack, but did not get proper support from Subramaniam Badrinath and Jacob Oram. MS Dhoni joined Raina when the team's score was 88/4.
The duo took the team's total to 159/5 before Raina departed in the final over on the score of 98. Their partnership powered CSK to a 38-run victory in the league match against the defending champs.
#4. Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni - 82* vs. Sri Lanka, 2005
This partnership was the first match-winning stand between Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni. Raina had made his debut in July 2005, while MS Dhoni earned his first ODI cap in December 2004.
It seemed like both youngsters were destined for success in the Indian cricket team and their 82-run partnership against Sri Lanka proved why these two players had a special talent.
The visitors posted a total of 261 runs on the board in the first innings of the match played at Pune. Captain Rahul Dravid hit a brilliant fifty at the top. Still, Muttiah Muralitharan and Dilhara Fernando restricted India to 180/6 from 176/3 and it looked like the islanders would sneak a win.
However, MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina kept their nerves and guided India home in the 46th over. Dhoni scored 45 runs off 43 deliveries, while the southpaw Raina supported him with a 30-ball 39.