New Delhi: India discard Suresh Raina has expressed that he has been trying hard to get his spot back in the Indian squad by improving his style of play and taking advises of different people for the same.
The last time Raina had played for India was in the T20I series against England, back in February. He had hit 63 runs in Bangalore and later went on to have a decent IPL where he managed to score 422 runs in 14 matches for Gujarat Lions.
He was widely expected to earn a recall when India’s squads for the recently-concluded five-match ODI and the one-off T20 against Sri Lanka were announced. However, the UP skipper missed the cut with the likes of Kedar Jadhav and Manish Pandey getting the nod ahead of him.
The 30-year-old, though, doesn’t want to show any disappointment over his absence from the Indian set-up and is confident that his time under the sun will come sooner than later. Although making a comeback to the squad is on his mind these days, he wants to do it the hard way, with his performance.
Once he was the fittest player in the team and recently he was questioned about his fitness.
Raina, who is very active on social media now, in an interview with The Indian Express revealed what Sachin Tendulkar taught him, about his social-media activities, and his comeback goals.
I just want to tell people that I am working hard and I am not the thanda type. I always believed in hard work. 60% is your hard work and 40% is your luck. Look at Yuvraj, he did the same, he worked very hard and came back. Sachin Tendulkar told me very nice thing other day, sab achha hai, you don’t need to prove anyone. You have done so much, you just need enjoy your cricket. I always made with high intensity. I know my chance will come.”
Raina has also faced criticism that he trying to please everyone.
“Who am I pleasing? It’s my account, I’m doing all hard work. Sometimes we express things which we want to. It’s my life and am enjoying it. I have been exploring so many things in life now. You can’t make everyone happy, sometimes you have to see ke aage kya hai (what’s there in future). Social media is used by everyone now and it’s an important tool. Look at the Indian team, everyone posts selfies. It’s not only me who is active on social media.
Recently, I brought a trainer from Holland to Uttar Pradesh so that the youngsters can explore this at an early age because after all they will also play for India one day. I feel if things are fine at the grassroots level than there will be no problem in the future. We came from hostel where in name of fitness we did so many things. Kabhi baltiyaan utha rahe hain, kabhi eenten. (Sometimes we would be lifting buckets of water, sometimes bricks). Sometimes, we would be doing discus-throw, and at times, we would just run. I just want the youngsters to be more professionally trained,” he said.
When asked about spending time with Tendulkar, Raina said, “I was feeling low in between, so I messaged him one day saying, ‘I want to come to Mumbai. Can you spend sometime with me?’ Despite his busy calendar he spared some time for me. I spent a few days with Sachin paaji, I practiced with him for three hours daily. He told me I am batting well, my feet are moving nicely. I’m looking more compact. I saw the videos, my head position is coming nicely.”
Recent reports stated that Raina failed the yo-yo test and that is why he was not picked for the Indian team.
“It was all made up by media. If I had failed any test, I would have been told by the board and the trainer. It will be unfair for me to talk about it. For four to five months, I have really work hard on my fitness. I have lost more than five kilos. My flexibility has improved. You will have to see it on the field, or else you will say I am just talking.
You were once the fittest cricketer and now you are doing all these things to prove yourself.
I don’t need to prove myself to anyone. When I started to play cricket there was no Facebook, Twitter or wifi. Our performance only spoke about us. Mera soch is clear, aaj nahi to kal, kal nahi to parso, parso nahi to narso, I will get the thing I want (My thinking is clear; if not today, then tomorrow, or day after…) And it’s only due to hard work. I am a very workaholic person, I like to work hard. That is my passion. Chance mileage to chhodana nahi hai,” Raina said.
Source: Zee News