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Chennai Super Kings will go after “Stalwart” Suresh Raina in the mega auction: Robin Uthappa

This is the first time since the inception of IPL that Suresh Raina has not been retained by CSK

After CSK didn’t retain Suresh Raina ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction, a lot of fans have been thinking that Raina’s wonderful journey with CSK might have come to an end, but Raina’s former CSK teammate Robin Uthappa, who played a crucial knock of 31 off just 15 balls in the IPL 2021 final, is of the opinion that the franchise will try and buy Raina back in the mega auction coming up.

Suresh Raina, so far, has been a part of all the title-winning campaigns of CSK, right from 2010 when they won the IPL title for the first time beating Mumbai Indians in the final to 2021 where, although Raina was not a part of the playing XI in the final against KKR because of injury, he was still a part of the squad.

The fact that Suresh Raina doesn’t play any international cricket now seems to have aggravated his old issues against the short ball and that was one of the reasons why CSK had to demote him down the order in the last IPL, as Moeen Ali batted at no. 3 ahead of him and Raina was tactically sent at a stage where the spinners were supposed to bowl most of the overs.

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With Moeen Ali giving CSK the off-spin option as well, something which Raina used to offer in the past apart from the left-hand option with the bat at no. 3, there is a possibility that CSK might look for a different kind of skillset as the first choice middle-order option now as they go into the mega auction.

However, CSK might still be able to buy Suresh Raina, if they want, because the Indian veteran might not go at a very high price in the auction, given his recent performances.

Robin Uthappa thinks Suresh Raina has been the biggest stalwart of CSK

According to Robin Uthappa, Raina’s contribution towards the fact that CSK has qualified to the IPL playoffs every single time since the inception of the IPL, apart from 2020, is massive and the franchise will try its best to secure the services of the left-hander once again. CSK has 48 crores in their purse going into the mega auction which is supposed to be held towards the end of this month or in the first week of next month.

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“He (Raina), I think, is the biggest stalwart of CSK, a vital cog in the wheel, so I think he will be the first guy they will go after,” Robin Uthappa said while talking about IPL retentions on Star Sports.

Abhishek

I write a bit on cricket and I am more interested in technical and tactical side of the game, rather than bravado.

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