"Sometimes family time is very important" - Suresh Raina on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli missing Duleep Trophy 2024
Suresh Raina opined that Team India's senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should have participated in the upcoming Duleep Trophy. He suggested that playing in the red-ball domestic competition would've helped the two batters get into the groove for the crucial Test season.
However, Raina also emphasized that the players need to spend time with their families at times. He mentioned that both Sharma and Kohli would be aware of what they need to get ready for the upcoming home Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand.
Suresh Raina said on Sports Tak:
"They should have played. We have not played any red-ball cricket after the IPL. If you are going for a big series, you need to play red-ball cricket. I think they are all mature enough and they know how they need to practice once they regroup. Sometimes family time is very important."
The 17th edition of the Duldeep Trophy is set to kick off on September 5. Many of India's capped players will be seen in action during the tournament. This includes Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul.
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are expected to return to the cricket field with the two-match home Test series against Bangladesh. The opening encounter will be played in Chennai from September 19.
"I want MS Dhoni to play in IPL 2025" - Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina also expressed his desire to see MS Dhoni play for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) once again in the next year's Indian Premier League (IPL).
He pointed out how Dhoni looked in impressive form with the bat in IPL 2024. He reckoned that the seasoned campaigner's presence would benefit skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad as well.
Suresh Raina commented:
"I want MS Dhoni to play in IPL 2025, considering how he batted last year. I feel Ruturaj Gaikwad needs one more year, the way he captained, and a lot of things were said after the loss to RCB. However, Ruturaj has done a great job and led the team really well and batted well too."
MS Dhoni handed over the CSK captaincy reins to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of IPL 2024. The five-time champions failed to qualify for the playoffs, finishing fifth in the points table. Dhoni entertained viewers with his explosive cameos, scoring 161 runs from 73 balls.
While Dhoni hasn't announced his retirement from IPL, his participation in the upcoming season is likely to depend on the retention rules of the mega auction.