MS Dhoni's positive energy suddenly enters your body and gives you strength: Suresh Raina
Former Indian middle-order batsman Suresh Raina has mentioned that the positive vibes from MS Dhoni give his batting partners the strength to perform to their fullest potential. He also named Yuvraj Singh and Virat Kohli as a couple of other batsmen with whom he enjoyed interacting with in the middle.
Suresh Raina talked about MS Dhoni's impact on his life and the great camaraderie he enjoys with his CSK captain during an interaction on the show 'The Slow Interview with Neelesh Misra'.
On being asked about MS Dhoni's influence on his life, Suresh Raina highlighted the former Indian captain's grounded nature that makes him a great human being.
"We are very good friends. He is a great captain and a great friend. What he has achieved on the cricket field, he is the No.1 captain in the world in my eyes, but he is the greatest human being in the world because he is very down to earth."
He lauded Captain Cool for never hogging the limelight and always being truthful to his team members.
"He does good deeds, I have spent millions of days with him, I feel he is very honest with the team. When he is playing for the nation, he keeps the team on the forefront and stays behind."
Raina mentioned that he is proud to have played with MS Dhoni and credited the latter for taking care of the teams he led.
"I feel very proud to have played with him. He won the World Cup as well, played many IPL finals, got the Champions Trophy and the 2007 T20 World Cup. The credit goes to Dhoni because he handled the team."
The left-handed batsman spoke highly about the manner in which the 39-year-old mentored the youngsters in the team, and how he didn't allow them to be swayed by the lure of money while showing everyone how to remain humble.
"After the World Cup win, players could have got drifted because of the amount of money they got. He didn't allow it to happen. He sat with the team, showed with his performances and taught how to remain humble."
Suresh Raina also praised MS Dhoni for keeping the interests of the country above any personal accomplishments.
"He showed that if there is cricket, money will also be there. He kept the country's wins above any wealth or individual selfishness."
Suresh Raina on his communication with MS Dhoni in the middle
Suresh Raina revealed that he has developed such a good understanding with MS Dhoni that the two of them could communicate through their eyes.
"We have played so much together, that we could communicate through our eyes when we had to hit a bowler or when to run a couple."
He added that there are subtle signals that the duo gives each other, rather than communicating via words, in the middle.
"When he runs, I can make out by Dhoni's eyes when he is looking for two runs because we cannot make a call when there is a huge crowd."
"So these signals are very important, example if I am just tapping the wicket it means that I am going to drop and run."
Suresh Raina was further asked what they generally discuss between overs. He responded that it would generally be about the conditions in the middle and encouraging each other to stay put at the wicket, while adding that he enjoyed his discussions in the middle with Yuvraj Singh apart from MS Dhoni.
"Normally how the wicket is and to stay longer. I like discussions with Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni bhai because they know that if they stay till the end they will hit a lot."
The Uttar Pradesh batsman named Virat Kohli as another batsman he enjoyed playing with.
"Virat Kohli is also a king in that, he would just ask me to stay and that we would enjoy together."
Suresh Raina signed off by stating that a batting partner's positive vibes gave a batsman great strength, which was particularly the case while playing alongside MS Dhoni.
"A player's positive energy suddenly enters your body because of which your strength increases, especially with Dhoni."
MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina have scored 2311 runs in a winning cause in 40 ODI matches, at an excellent average of 74.5. While batting together in the IPL for CSK, the duo has put together 1454 runs, the fifth-highest in the history of the league.