The veteran Indian all-rounder, Suresh Raina might have been ignored from the Indian team but former chairman MSK Prasad went on to clarify that it was poor form during the 2018-19 domestic season that resulted in him being axed. The southpaw played his last international game in July 2018 in England after which he was dropped for good. Last year, he had knee surgery and was eyeing a comeback with his favorite team Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the currently postponed Indian Premier League.
Talking to PTI, Prasad replied to Raina’s recent comments that selectors could’ve been more responsible towards seniors. He said, “See VVS Laxman, when he was dropped from the Indian Test squad in 1999, he forced himself back by scoring over 1400 runs in domestic cricket. This is what is expected from senior players when they are dropped.”
Raina scored 243 runs, with two fifties, in five Ranji games in the 2018-19 season. A terrific IPL cricketer, he scored only 383 runs in 17 games for CSK in 2019 which dashed his World Cup hopes.
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Prasad further elaborated, “Unfortunately, we didn’t see that form here in Raina’s case in domestic cricket while other youngsters emerged at the big stage with their brilliant performances in domestic cricket and India A.”
Recently, Raina, during a YouTube show ‘Sports Tak’, accused the selectors of not clarifying why he was dropped, something that Prasad said wasn’t “true”. Prasad denied the allegation from a veteran player, which he said was far from the truth.
Former selector said, “I had personally spoken to Raina calling him to my room and explained him the roadmap for his future comebacks. He had, back then, appreciated my efforts. I am really surprised when I have heard things which are exactly contrary to what had happened.”
In fact, MSK went on to recall how many of Uttar Pradesh’s Ranji matches he has seen. He feels that for any senior player, the template for a national comeback should be that of Mohinder Amarnath, who made a record of sorts during his 20-year-career with the national team.
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Prasad said, “When a senior player is dropped from the squad, we expect him to go back to domestic cricket and get his form back. If you look at the great Mohinder Amarnath, check how many times he was dropped and made a strong comeback with stellar performances in domestic cricket.”
