Former international cricketer Suresh Raina has announced that he is retiring from all forms of cricket. Making the announcement on Twitter, the left-hander said: "It has been an absolute honour to represent my country & state UP. I would like to announce my retirement from all formats of Cricket."
Raina thanked BCCI, the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla and cricket fans for supporting him throughout his cricketing journey.
Suresh Raina will no longer participate in the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) or be seen playing in any domestic tournaments. He had previously announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020.
Raina was part of the 2011 World Cup-winning team under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. He represented India in 18 Tests, 226 ODIs and 78 T20Is in an international career spanning 13 years.
Earlier, Raina had expressed his willingness to play cricket in leagues outside India, as per a report by Dainik Jagran.
“I want to continue playing cricket for two or three years. The good guys have finally made it to Uttar Pradesh, and so far, they're doing a great job of leading the team. With UPCA's NOC, I was able to proceed. BCCI VP Rajiv Shukla and Secretary Jay Shah were also briefed on this. My appreciation goes to BCCI and UPCA for their help thus far. For the time being, I am free to play in whichever league I choose,” Raina told Dainik Jagran.
“I will make my professional debut on September 10 in the Road Safety World Series. The leagues in South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the United Arab Emirates have all made touch, as well,” he told the Hindi news daily.