Suresh Raina, the former India and Chennai Super Kings southpaw, will be in the IPL 2022, but not on the field.
Suresh Raina has earned the nickname ‘Mr. IPL’ over the years, therefore it came as a shock to his supporters when he was passed over by the Chennai Super Kings or any of the other nine clubs during the IPL 2022 big auction last month. Raina was expected to replace Jason Roy at the Gujarat Titans, according to social media gossip, but that didn’t happen.
There is, however, some good news for Raina’s supporters. The former India and CSK southpaw will appear in the IPL 2022, but not on the field. Raina has apparently been hired by Star Sports for their Hindi commentary crew, according to a report in the Dainik Jagran newspaper. He’ll be in the commentary box with former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who’ll be making a return after a seven-year spell with the national team.
Ravi Shastri will join the panel of Hindi commentators.
Shastri was also reportedly approached by one of the two new teams for a coaching position ahead of the IPL, but the deal fell through. This will be a new position for the latter, who spent much of his post-cricketing career working on the game in English.
“You are all aware that Raina will not be playing in the IPL this year, but we wanted to associate him with the tournament in some way.” He has a sizable fan base, and there’s a reason he’s dubbed “Mr IPL.” Shastri was a member of the Star Sports English commentary crew. “However, after becoming India’s head coach in 2017, he didn’t commentate after the Champions Trophy final in 2017,” an IPL insider told the Dainik Jagran newspaper.
Meanwhile, Shastri has been taking Hindi lessons from a specialist on Zoom and has been practising commenting ahead of the season.