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File photo of Suresh Raina (left) and MS Dhoni.© Twitter
The MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings took a tough call towards the end of IPL 2021 by dropping their star player Suresh Raina to make place for Robin Uthappa. It was a match against Delhi Capitals that saw CSK’s then new recruit Uthappa getting a chance. He was traded to the side from Rajasthan Royals ahead of IPL 2021. Back then, Dhoni had informed at the toss that Raina was injured. However, the player never returned into CSK’s playing XI for the remainder of the season.
During an interaction with Robin Uthappa, Raina revealed that giving an opportunity to the right-handed batter was a tactical move and that CSK skipper Dhoni consulted him for it.
“When MS Dhoni and I talked, I suggested him that ‘you should try Robin Uthappa’. He (Dhoni) took permission from me to play you and I said him that ‘he is the guy to give you the final, trust me’,” Raina told Uthappa on JioCinema.
Raina added that he missing out on the final XI ‘was not in the dictionary of Dhoni’, but the batting southpaw convinced his skipper by saying that Uthappa deserved to be in the team.
“MS Dhoni said that ‘see we have played since 2008 but I want to win this season. Now, you tell me what to do’. I said ‘play Robin at number 3 and make sure he is in the playing XI till final. If you win, CSK will win. Whether I play or him, Robin and Raina are same’,” the CSK great added.
While Uthappa scored 115 runs across four matches in IPL 2021 with a strike rate of 136.90, CSK went on to win the title by beating Kolkata Knight Riders by 27 runs in the final.
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