Former Australia cricketer Brad Hogg has put a question mark on veteran India batsman Suresh Raina's future. With T20 World Cup getting postponed to next year by ICC, a lot of senior players were hoping to feature in the showpiece tournament before retiring.
Although Raina is still not close to his retirement and has another year to show his worth in T20Is and make a comeback before the World Cup. But will he be able to do it? Hogg answered if Raina can play for India again in any format.
"Suresh Raina has been a revelation in Indian cricket. One of the better fielders we have seen at the world stage from India. He’s a fantastic left-handed batsman.”, he said.
The Aussie added that India skipper Virat Kohli is currently looking for youngsters and Raina may not be able to fit into the side. “But if you look at Indian line-up right now, where Virat Kohli wants to take it, he is looking at youngsters at the moment. And Shreyas Iyer has done reasonably well at no. 4 and that is where Raina is going to bat.
"I don’t see him batting lower down the order. He’s more of the batsman that comes in at no.3 or 4 and bats through the middle overs. I don’t think there is a role for him in Indian cricket.”
“The only way he could get a chance to make a comeback in T20 cricket is if they continue to open with KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma and leave Shikhar Dhawan out, so he may have a slight chance there,” he further said.
“But I don’t see Raina playing again and that’s a little disappointing to say,” the former Australia spinner added.
Raina last played a T20I against England in 2018. Since then, he hasn't featured in any format for his country.
