“Raina saw me in the nets and asked him ‘ Why isn’t this lad playing? ” Said Kohli. Star India batsman Virat Kohli and former great southpaw Suresh Raina have played a significant amount of cricket together. The duo were part of the Indian squad that won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. After playing for their country, both athletes have developed a strong bond off the field.
Kohli has revealed details regarding his off-field connection with Raina. The right-handed batter reflected on his early career before joining the Indians. He remembers a tournament where Raina recognized him and inquired about his gameplay. He stated that Raina push on being include in the playing XI, even if it meant opening the innings.
“It was the middle of the competition, and S Badrinath was captain, before Raina took over. And Pravin Amre was our coach, and he had me sit out. I didn’t do well in the first few games and was in the center of the lineup. Raina spotted me in the nets and questioned, ‘Why isn’t this lad playing?,'” Kohli told News18.
“The responses that came in were ‘We can’t find a place,’ and unfortunately, at the time, I replaced Jinx (Ajinkya Rahane). And Amre sir believed that I could not open the innings. But Raina said, “He can do anything, so please put him in.” They asked if I would open, and I said, “I’ll do anything; just let me play,” he added.
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And I am thankful to Raina for putting in a good word for me: Kohl
The Delhi batsman went on to score 12 runs against New Zealand. Dileep Vengsarkar, the then-team India selector, took note of Kohli’s excellent performance, which had a big impact on his international future. Kohli went on to say how grateful he is that Raina mentioned him.
“It’s one thing to hear about a batter and another to see it. It has a distinct influence. How he plays under pressure, and how I made 120 that game, convinced him to give me a chance in the future. And I appreciate Raina putting in a nice word for me,” Kohli continued.
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