Suresh Raina’s wife Priyanka shared a heartfelt letter which she wrote to her husband who completed 15 years in international cricket on Thursday. Priyanka Raina took to social media to urge the veteran Indian cricketer to keep giving his best ‘unconditionally’. Suresh Raina made his international debut against Sri Lanka in an ODI in Dambulla on July 30, 2005.
While his career started on a rough note, Raina made a name for himself as one of the finest limited-overs cricketers in the modern era. A handy off-spinner, Raina prove his worth with his all-round ability and his exceptional fielding skills. He played a crucial role in India’s triumphant campaigns in the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy under the captaincy of MS Dhoni.
In his career, the southpaw has played 226 ODIs, scoring 5615 runs, including 5 centuries and 36 half-centuries. Raina has played 78 T20Is and 18 Tests. However, Suresh Raina played his last international match in July 2018.
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On the 15th anniversary of his debut for India, Priyanka Raina said she is in awe of the India star as her letter read: “Fifteen years since you played your first ODI! 15 years of success, ups & downs, hard work & lot more. World has seen your passion, dedication & the rewards you got in return. I have seen your hardships, madness, sleepless nights & your reluctance to settle down with any nonsense thrown at you. I have seen the amount of hard work you have put in and how true you have always been to yourself when it came to giving back to your game, people who supported you and everyone who wished best for you during this journey. You always acknowledged how blessed you are to receive the love and daith people have shown in you. “
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She further added, And you worked tirelessly to stand up to their best expectations and deliver your best. We all know it’s a world where you can’t be perfect all the time, yet there was no tolerance or constructive approach shown towards even the smallest lacking you may have shown, despite all your contribution, records and achievements! What I truly appreciate is your resilience and the ease with which you always kept your cool to deal with any criticism or unfair treatment. I have always been proud of you and will always be. You achieved incredible heights but you deserved much more and you still do. You are a gem person with a golden heart who is always willing to give wholeheartedly. Stay the way you are! Keep shining, keep growing and keep giving your best unconditionally and rest will follow! We love you and are super proud of everything you have done. Love, Rio, Gracia and Priyanka.
We love you @ImRaina & are super proud of everything you have done.
Love, Rio, Gracia & Priyanka #15yearsofraina pic.twitter.com/rrcqbpF7OA
— Priyanka Chaudhary Raina (@PriyankaCRaina) July 30, 2020
Raina is among the few top Indian cricketers who have resumed training following the forced break due to the coronavirus pandemic. He has been training at his facility along with India wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant.
The veteran southpaw, who had been struggling to be for post his injuries, is keen on returning to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for IPL 2020, which is all set to be played in the UAE from September 19. Over the years, Suresh Raina has played a crucial role for the franchise as they have won three championship titles.