Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina shared a candid moment with legendary captain MS Dhoni after winning his first ‘Man of the Match’ award in international cricket. It was his first bike ride with the former captain as well. However, Suresh Raina slammed an unbeaten 81 off 89 balls against England in an ODI at Faridabad. India won the match by four wickets. Raina also added a 118-run stand for the sixth wicket with Dhoni. He was also awarded the ‘Man of the Match’ award and won a brand-new motorcycle for the same. After the game, Dhoni drove the motorcycle around the ground with Raina
sitting behind him as he revealed that he did not know how to ride a bike back then.

“I did not know how to ride a bike at that time. He had a passion for it. So he said you have got the Man of the Match, so let’s ride this in the ground. I was very comfortable with him and had that bond,” he said during a podcast with former India batter Aakash Chopra.

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“You play for the captain, for the team. But I said captain because I felt that the number at which I got chances, he sacrificed his position. He used to play at the top, but he took that responsibility and sent me and Yuvi up. So I felt that if he is keeping me ahead, I have to perform for him. If someone sacrificed for you, you need to have the ability to give it back too. I wanted to win for him,” he again shared.

In the same podcast, Suresh Raina also shared how MS Dhoni advised him to improve his game and also valued his presence in the team. Raina also expressed that he was given a free hand and that MS Dhoni had belief in his abilities

“He always guided me on how to improve my game. He would talk for five minutes, but that would have the experience of five years. What to do and how to do it. He knew I was a match-winner, so I had that license. He understood the game, my value in the team and what I could do,” he concluded.