On a comeback trail, Suresh Raina eyes 2019 World Cup

While the Indian team has enjoyed a successful campaign in the rainbow nation, one of the biggest positives of the ongoing tour has been the return of middle-order batsman and swashbuckling fielder Suresh Raina into the squad. The 31-year-old last played in the shorter format for India against England in February 2017. Although the left-hander had made an impressive 63, he did not feature in India’s subsequent home series.

Now on a comeback trail in T20 Internationals, Suresh Raina says he wants to use the opportunity to regain his place in ODIs ahead of the 2019 World Cup. Raina has looked to bat aggressively in both matches against South Africa to garner an immediate impact. With a long T20 schedule ahead, he said that there was a chance for him to make further inroads and return to the ODI side as well.

Raina has been out-of-favor since failing the Yo-Yo test, a now mandatory criterion for selection. However, he had cleared the test before the announcement of the squad for the preceding ODI series in South Africa.

The dashing left-hander has also been in sublime form in the shortest format. The Uttar Pradesh cricketer ended as the highest run-scorer for his team, and sixth overall, in the recently-concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament with 314 runs.

Suresh Raina opens up about his World Cup ambition

One of three Indian batsmen with a T20 International hundred, Raina was quoted saying by TOI, “It is important to win a trophy first and important to go out there as a team mindset. If you see the top order, they are all batting well. So we will see where I can fit in. There are a lot of matches coming up now. Every Indian game is very important for me right now.

He added, “I think it is a long road to the World Cup from here on. Closer to the World Cup we will be able to tell where we are going. It is important to stay in present and look to win each and every game.”