IPL 2021: [Watch] Suresh Raina enjoys rowing a boat with CSK teammates Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sai Kishore
Former Indian middle-order batsman and Chennai Super Kings player Suresh Raina seem to be enjoying his time in the United Arab Emirates ahead of the second leg of IPL 2021.
The former Indian cricketer took to his official Instagram account on Monday to post a story in which he could be seen rowing a boat alongside fellow CSK player Ruturaj Gaikwad and rookie spinner Sai Kishore.
Check out Suresh Raina's Instagram story here:
https://instagram.com/stories/sureshraina3/2652350338876635497?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&utm_medium=share_sheet
The second leg of the 14th season of the Indian Premier League will kick off on September 19 when former champions Chennai Super Kings lock horns with five-time winners Mumbai Indians at the Dubai International Stadium.
The Chennai Super Kings were the first IPL franchise after the Mumbai Indians to reach the United Arab Emirates for the second leg of IPL 2021. The MS Dhoni-led contingent reached the Emirates nation on August 13. Following the completion of their mandatory quarantine, the squad kickstarted their training.
Can Suresh Raina shrug off his poor form in the second leg of IPL 2021?
Meanwhile, Suresh Raina will be looking to make an impact for the three-time champions in the second leg of IPL 2021. Raina has been the bedrock of CSK's batting unit since the inception of the Indian Premier League.
However, the southpaw's performances have taken a sharp dip in the past few seasons. Raina has racked up more than 350 runs in each season since the inception of the IPL. However, his consistency has taken a hit in the last few editions of the cash-rich league.
In the 2019 season, Raina managed 382 runs in 17 innings at an underwhelming average of 23.97 and a strike rate of 121.97 with just three 50-plus scores.
Raina was scheduled to play in the 13th edition of the IPL which took place in the United Arab Emirates. However, in a surprising turn of events, the three-time IPL-winner backed out of the competition before it got underway.
With Raina not featuring in IPL 2020 and N Srinivasan lambasting the left-hander in the media, fans feared they had seen the last of Suresh Raina in the famous yellow CSK jersey.
CSK proceeded to retain him ahead of the 2021 mini-auction but Raina had a poor outing by his standards in the first leg of IPL 2021.
In six innings, Raina managed a mere 123 runs at an average of 24.60 and a strike rate of 126.80 with just one 50-plus score. The champion cricketer will be hoping to shrug off this poor run of form when he takes to the field in the second leg of the season.