Suresh Raina and IPL records: Two sides of the same coin

Suresh Raina has taken 75 catches in IPL, which is the most by any player.

Records and Suresh Raina go hand in hand in Indian Premier League (IPL). He’s not just destructive with the bat but has been the top-notch fielder in this cash-rich T20 spectacle. Recently named as the captain of the newcomers Gujarat Lions (GL), Raina will be keen to scale new heights with his leadership as well. In fact, captaincy is not new for the southpaw. He was the second youngest Indian to captain in shorter formats. To add to the fire, batting maestro Virat Kohli and wily off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin made their T20I debut under Raina’s captaincy. However, when it comes to IPL, he has captained Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for 3 matches in MS Dhoni’s absence. Live Cricket Scorecard: Kings XI Punjab vs Gujarat Lions, Match 3, Indian Premier League 2016

Speaking of records, Raina has played 132 matches in IPL, which is the most by any player. What makes it even more captivating is, he is the only player to never miss a game. Moreover, Raina is the highest run-scorer in IPL. He has plundered 3,699 runs at an impressive average of 34.25 and blistering average of 139.84. He also holds the record for the second most half-centuries (25) in IPL. Plus, he does not shy away when it comes to spanking maximums as well. His 150 sixes is the second most, with Chris Gayle at the top with record-breaking 230 sixes. IPL 2016 Schedule, Time Table, Fixture PDF Download

These records are evidence to the fact that Raina is either at the top or is the second best. To add to it, his 16-ball 50 against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) is the joint second fastest half-century in IPL.

When it comes to fielding, he has taken 75 catches, which (again) is the most by any player. IPL has a unique way of rewarding the top performers. And the batsman who plunders most runs in a season gets the Orange Cap. Surprisingly, the player who has scored most runs never won the Orange Cap in any of the seasons. Perhaps, this is the only feat Raina would like to achieve in IPL 9. Also read: Suresh Raina says cricket is all about expressing yourself

Along many other innings, Raina’s 25-ball 87 against Kings XI Punjab in Qualifier 2 in IPL 2014 will remain etched in our memory for a good while. However, barring his 25-ball 49 against Australia Down Under earlier this year, he has not been at the aggressive best. Nonetheless, he’ll leave no stone unturned to make amends and come good in IPL. As a matter of fact, IPL is the only stage Raina never lost his dominance.

(Kaustubh S. Mayekar, a reporter at CricketCountry, played cricket at U-16 level. Like his idol Rahul Dravid, he often shadow-practises cricket shots. His Twitter handle is @TheCricKnight.)

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