In a recent interview, former Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Suresh Raina took a subtle dig at the IPL franchises that still don’t have any titles to their name. He spoke to Lallantop about the factors that he thinks made Chennai the most decorated team in the league’s history.
Raina, fondly called ‘Chinna Thala’ by fans, has been one of the biggest pillars of CSK during his tenure, and led the Gujarat Lions during CSK’s 2-year suspension. The attacking left-hander is one of the most successful players in IPL history. Talking about the franchise, he said, “Chennai never partied. That’s why they have been the most successful."
He also commented on the teams devoid of any title wins, saying “2-3 teams who partied have not won the IPL yet." The interviewer then asked Raina whether he was talking about RCB. To that, Raina promptly replied, “No, there are a few teams who haven’t won, they must have partied hard".
Through the statement, Suresh Raina slyly hinted towards a late-night party culture, that was common across multiple franchises. He said that the Chennai Super Kings weren’t a part of this culture which is why they are quite successful in the T20 tournament.
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Apart from CSK, he also mentioned about the Mumbai Indians’ success. “We [CSK] didn’t do it. That’s why we have five IPL trophies and two Champions League trophies. MI also has won five trophies", Raina said. He further questioned the partying culture by saying, “In May-June’s heat, how will you play afternoon games if you have partied all night?"
As per Suresh Raina, all the players of the CSK were quite straight about not getting indulged in these late-night parties. “The entire team was particular about not partying late into the night. We are also playing for India, keep in mind. If I don’t play well, why will my captain select me", the all-round star concluded.
READ MORE: Heartwarming Video of ‘Chinna Thala’ Suresh Raina Helping a Limping MS Dhoni Goes Viral
While some might not completely agree with Suresh Raina’s words, it seems like avoiding parties has worked out quite well for the cricketer in his international and domestic career. He was a crucial part of the national squad in limited-overs cricket, winning the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy. Raina also won the ACC Asia Cup two times, 2010 and 2016. As for his individual stats, the all-round cricket star amassed 7988 runs and 62 wickets across all three formats in his international career.
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Speaking of his IPL career, Raina has competed in 13 seasons of IPL, while representing the Chennai Super Kings and the Gujarat Lions. He has played 205 games in the competition while scoring 5528 runs and scalping 25 wickets. He is also the fifth-highest scorer in the franchise tournament.
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