IPL 2021: [Watch] Suresh Raina times the ball to perfection in nets before the match against Punjab Kings
Although Suresh Raina played his first IPL match since 2019 two nights ago, it did not seem the Chennai Super Kings batsman had been away from the tournament for such a long period.
The southpaw worked very hard before IPL 2021, and his efforts in the nets were reflected in his half-century against Delhi Capitals. Had Suresh Raina not lost his wicket via a run-out, he could have finished with a more significant score.
Nevertheless, Raina is now looking forward to the upcoming game against the Punjab Kings. The Chennai Super Kings posted a reel on Instagram, where the left-handed batsman could be seen playing some excellent shots.
"Rising against all odds! Namma Raina Vara Sollunga!" Chennai Super Kings captioned the reel.
The reel went viral on Instagram, receiving close to 300,000 likes inside four hours. The post has already been viewed over a million times and has received 1,226 comments in the first three hours.
Some fans felt Suresh Raina might struggle in IPL 2021 because the former Indian all-rounder played only five T20 games between the 2019 and 2021 IPL seasons.
However, Raina impressed everyone by aggregating 54 runs off 36 deliveries versus Delhi.
Suresh Raina had destroyed the Punjab Kings in Mumbai during the 2014 IPL season
Chennai Super Kings will battle the Punjab Kings at Wankhede Stadium in their next match. The last time these two teams battled on this ground was during the 2014 IPL Playoffs.
Virender Sehwag's hundred guided Punjab to a grand total, but Suresh Raina turned the game in CSK's favor with a spectacular 25-ball 87.
Unfortunately, he got run out after facing 25 deliveries. Otherwise, he could have taken the Super Kings to the IPL 2014 Final.
It will be exciting to see how Raina performs when the two teams lock horns in Mumbai this Friday.