After Yuvraj Singh, Indian batsman Suresh Raina has now criticized the national team selection process. In an interview with Aaj Tak, Raina said that the national selectors should have been more responsible in their treatment of the senior players.
“I think selectors should have taken more responsibility towards the senior players. No matter how big a player you are at the end of the day you always play for the team, you perform, you go home and if you don’t get to play the next morning, then you have to know the reason why I am not getting batting on the net,” Raina was quoted as saying by Aaj Tak’s Senior Editor Vikrant Gupta.
“Tell me if I have any deficiency then I will work hard. Someone will have to tell where to work hard. If he does not know, then there will be a doubt in his mind somewhere. When the cause is not known, how will he improve?” he added.
Suresh Raina underwent knee surgery in August 2019 and is getting better day-by-day. He hasn’t played for team India since July 2018. However, the CSK batsman is yet to give up on his ambitions to play in blue colours.
“When you play Ranji Trophy no one comes there to watch the match. Then you wait for IPL because you get the chance to face world-class bowlers. And if you are getting paid by the IPL franchise, then you have to perform in every game. Pressure is very high in IPL. A T20 game is not easy but tough. There is not even time to think. If you get hurt during IPL, you don’t get recovery time.”
Raina also added that he has learnt a lot from this experience and that if he ever becomes a selector in the future, he would make it a point to inform the player the reason for him being dropped.
Suresh Raina has insisted that MS Dhoni has been brilliant during his comeback in the practice nets with Chennai Super Kings. Raina said Dhoni has a good chance of making a comeback in the Indian team. He also spoke on how selectors ignored him before the World Cup last year. Raina felt if the IPL happens he will himself push hard for comeback into the Indian team for World Cup T20
Talking about MS Dhoni’s return, Raina said, “He still has a lot of cricket left in him. It would be best if he answers this question with his bat.”
