The Indian all rounder Suresh Raina, the numbers that he achieved in the short experiences of the IPL are mind-blowing. Since from 2008, out of 501 scheduled IPL matches, Suresh had played almost 125 matches and in every season of Indian Festive from 2008 to 2015, Raina had almost added up at least 400 runs.
In ten games so far in the 2015 Indian Festive look below bar, it is this elevated standard that makes Raina's 256 runs. But when asking Raina, he will tell you the changed story.
In Chennai, the match against the Royal Challengers, CSK had took a 24 run victory after Raina played an awesome inning of 52 runs in 46 ball. Talking to iplt20.com, Raina said about various appearance of tournament ranging from his own role that changing from a finisher to a No. 3 batsman. He continued up saying about the importance of bowling, improved death bowling from Indians bowlers, to the significance of Indian Premier League in his opinion.
You haven’t had many runs this season. Glad to get that fifty?
I will tell you one thing very honestly. I have made runs in the last seven seasons and I am very proud of those performances. But the way I am enjoying my batting this season, I haven’t done in the past. I may be scoring 20-30 runs but my mindset is very good this year. I have been getting out playing proper cricketing shots and the ball is often going straight to the fielders. But I feel really good about my batting.
I have settled well into the No. 3 role with CSK. I have been batting instinctively since the last 10 years, but now as the one-down batsman I have to be discreet about when to attack and who to attack. You have to plan a lot more about the middle-overs and building partnerships. I believe I have a better understanding of that this season although the runs against my name are less.
Despite batting in the top order, do you still have to be very flexible with how you approach the innings, given it depends a lot on the start that Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith give the team?
It is a very good point. In fact, I have had that chat with Stephen Fleming. For instance, today, when McCullum hit a couple of boundaries early, I knew I could do it too. But I controlled my natural game. Today’s knock gives me a lot of satisfaction because of the way I took responsibility to build the innings for the team rather than insisting on playing my natural game.
Has finishing well with the bat been an issue this season?
It is because I wasn’t scoring runs. That put pressure on MS (Dhoni), Bravo, Jaddu (Jadeja) and Negi. If the top-three or four give them a platform of 140 in 15 overs, these guys can score 70 in the last five on a batting wicket. It is unfair to expect them to do that in Chennai because the wicket doesn’t allow that.
What was the turning point of the match?
When Virat (Kohli) was batting, I was a bit worried. I knew we had to get him out quickly because he is a master at chasing scores and finishing off games. The run-out that Bravo pulled off was brilliant. What made it all the more special is that it was so hot out there. In such extreme conditions sometimes your focus wavers. But to have that kind of awareness and then act briskly to it is something special. It is very difficult to play in Chennai. Besides playing against each other, the two teams are also up against the heat.
With CSK’s fielding, the target of 150 seems like 175. Is that the biggest USP of the team?
In T20s one stop or one catch has a lot of impact. It changes the entire mindset of the batsman; he feels like everything he hits is going to the fielders. Batting at No. 3 I have experienced that. When AB (de Villiers) or Virat or (Ajinkya) Rahane at point stop a ball I play, it puts pressure on me to get the ball outside the circle. And that forces you to take risks.
Death bowling is one area that MS was always worried about. It seems like it has been sorted.
It has. And one very pleasing thing this IPL is the way the Indian bowlers are doing at the death. Ashish Nehra has been so crucial for us this season. Mohit Sharma can still improve but he is getting there. Look at Praveen Kumar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar – Bhuvi has improved so much as a death bowler. Ishwar Pandey came in today and did well for us; he got the wicket of AB de Villiers. Our bowlers will only get better from here.
IPL witnessed its 500th game yesterday in Mumbai. You have played more games than anyone in this tournament. How do you feel about it?
For me the essence of the IPL is young Indian players showing their heart. Talking about this season alone, from our team I am very impressed with Pawan Negi. He has the heart. Look at Sarfaraz (Khan) – the 17-year-old who is not overwhelmed by the occasion. When you see a player you come to know whether he has the heart for the big occasions. And it is not only the youngsters – look at Brad Hogg and Pravin Tambe. They haven’t let their age come in way of their passion.
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