Veteran Indian batsman Suresh Raina recently recalled some of the emotional and greatest memories of Indian cricket from their victorious 2011 World Cup campaign.
During a recent conversation with former India cricketer Aakash Chopra, Raina recalled how his captain MS Dhoni’s sad face after being dismissed in the crucial situation with India still needing 74 runs off 75 balls during their quarter-final against Australia pumped him up to win the match for India.
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After seeing Dhoni’s sad face, Raina pledged that he would give it his all that day and win the match for India, and fortunately, he and Yuvraj Singh (57*) helped India to win the game by 5 wickets. In that match, Raina played a blistering unbeaten knock of 34 from just 28 balls against Australia.
Raina told Chopra during the conversation: “Virender Sehwag was sitting on my right and Sachin Tendulkar on the left. Tendulkar tapped me and said 'You will win the match for India today'. He touched me thrice and then he wears that Sai Baba's bracelet and the blessing I got made me feel that it's my day to win the game for India. As I was walking, I saw MS Dhoni's sad face while walking back to the pavilion. At that very moment I decided I would not miss this chance and will win the match at any cost. Australia removed the off-spinners from the attack and they were the only threat for us. After a six off Brett Lee I was sure that we will win, the momentum kept on shifting in our favour.”
The veteran batman also relived India’s memorable 2011 World Cup triumph over Sri Lanka in the final at Wankhede Stadium – where Dhoni surprised everyone by walking in at No 4.
Raina further recalled, “It was a big challenge. Sachin Tendulkar said regardless of the toss result, we have to go and win. So, it all started from there. There was a different kind of silence may be because of the pressure, happiness or the passion. Mahela Jayawardene scored a good hundred.
As soon as Virender Sehwag took a catch in the slip, at point Yuvraj Singh was there, I was standing at the covers, Virat was there. The on-field diving started and Sachin Tendulkar also dived at mid-off. So, when everyone started diving in that heat we started getting support from the fans. We did not even realise how those 50-overs ended. Then during our batting there was different silence. Virender Sehwag got out, then Sachin played a few straight drives and got out.”
He signed off by saying, “Then, the partnership between Virat and Gautam Gambhir. When Gambhir went inside I said this guy is a fighter. The Virat got out and MS Dhoni went in. I thought this is something different, Yuvraj was in a very good perform and it was a big decision for MS Dhoni to go and bat number 4. Garry told him and the decision was supported. Muttiah Muralitharan was bowling and Dhoni had played him a lot at CSK. The left-hand right-hand combination was there and two more left-handed batsmen in me and Yuvraj were to come.”
(With India Today Inputs)
