'Suresh Raina looked like a schoolboy cricketer at a point' - Dale Steyn on southpaw's horrible knock against MI

The first encounter of IPL 2021 saw Chennai Super Kings locking horns with Mumbai Indians where MS Dhoni and his men walked away with a convincing victory. Though CSK’s top order was disrupted by Mumbai pacers, Ruturaj Gaikwad (88* of 58) came into CSK’s rescue and took the team over the line. In the same line of events, Chennai’s experienced batsman Suresh Raina failed to impress his fans big time.

Ever since Raina walked up the crease, he looked utmost uncomfortable and played some weird shots. Trying to get the idea of deliveries, he ended his show cheaply on four runs being caught by Trent Boult. And this is why former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn didn’t mince his words while criticizing the southpaw. Steyn was clear in saying that the batsman looked like some school-boy cricketer.

“He (Suresh Raina) didn’t want anything of it. He looked like a schoolboy cricketer at a point. I couldn’t believe this is an international player doing what he was doing, almost embarrassing that he broke his bat and got out. Had that gone for six, maybe I won’t have said that but it is what we saw,” said Steyn while speaking on ESPNcricinfo.

Dale Steyn lauds bowling efforts of Mumbai Indians

Steyn also went on to praise the pace attack of Mumbai Indians which was handled well by New Zealand duo Trent Boult and Adam Milne. However, all went in vain when Gaikwad got adamant about taking CSK over the line and was assisted well by DJ Bravo’s cameo in between. Due to splendid batting efforts by the youngster, CSK won the game by 20 runs and jumped to the top slot on the points table.

“It was perfect bowling, almost perfect Test match bowling. They ran in, they hit the length really hard. A Couple of lucky dismissals too. The semi-bouncer to Dhoni, who gets a lot of it and gets caught at deep square. Little things like that went the way of bowlers when they bowl well and Milne and Boult started really well,” added Steyn.