Former India cricketer and veteran Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman Suresh Raina has told that he will not play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) upcoming year if MS Dhoni is not part of the T20 event.
Dhoni and Raina are the two pillars of the CSK franchise. They have played together for the Chennai-based franchise since the beginning of the IPL in 2008, barring the 2 years when CSK was suspended from the league.
Dhoni celebrated his 40th birthday on July 7 and it is understood that this year’s IPL season might be his last.
In an interview with News 24 Sports, Raina said that he too would not play the IPL next season if CSK captain Dhoni is not a part of the T20 league. The southpaw, though, added that he will try to convince Dhoni to play on for the added season, just in case CSK goes on to win IPL 2021. Raina stated during the interview:
“If Dhoni doesn’t play the IPL next year, then I will also not play. We have played together since 2008. And, if we win the IPL this year, I will convince him to play the next season as well.”
Raina further stated that he wants to keep playing for CSK even as 2 teams are prepared to be added to the tournament next year. The former India batsman revealed:
“Two new teams will be coming in next season but I want to keep playing for CSK. I hope we do well in this tournament, then we will see how things go.”
Raina declared his international retirement on the same day as Dhoni last year – August 15. The two cricketers experienced great chemistry and featured in a number of great partnerships for India along with CSK. Raina wished Dhoni his 40th birthday by publishing a video that captured the close connection between the two.
Former cricketer wants BCCI to retire MS Dhoni’s No. 7 jersey
While Raina has announced that he won’t play IPL without Dhoni, one more former India cricketer Saba Karim had earlier proposed that the BCCI should retire Dhoni’s No. 7 jerseys to consider the former India captain’s achievements in the game. Speaking on the Khelneeti podcast, Karim opined:
“I think not only MS Dhoni’s jersey, but the BCCI must also preserve the jerseys of many other Indian legends. They must also ensure that the jersey number of that legend is not worn by anyone else. In this manner, one can recognize the achievements and the contributions of the greats of Indian cricket. Most importantly, by doing so you give some much-deserved respect to such legends.”
Tu nhi khelega toh mai bhi nhi khelunga vro @ImRaina 🙌#DhoniRaina❤ pic.twitter.com/NASFbJmUtL
— Sandeep Pandey MrK 🇮🇳 (@SandeepPandeyMr) July 9, 2021
Also read:- IND vs SL 2021: [Watch] Highlights of India’s second match in Sri Lanka