Chance for Raina to step out of the shadows

Sometime before sunset, the main ground in Mohali was made off limits to all but the police, the Kings XI Punjab team, their owners and their bouncers. The home team performed their havan, a ritual where offerings are made into a small fire. This may or may not be a safety hazard at grounds that don't even let you take cigarettes in, but it is the Indian Premier League, and such ceremonies are done to mark new beginnings.

More than for the Kings XI, however, it is a new beginning for the captain of their opposition on Monday. Suresh Raina, who leads Gujarat Lions, has spent more than 10 years in international cricket. He was one of the first to end the practice of Indian middle-order batsmen playing for a not-out to help keep their place in the team. His selflessness as a cricketer, his willingness to chase every ball, bat anywhere in the order, encourage every good stop, bowl whenever required, makes him a favourite in the side, but only in the IPL does Raina truly emerge from the shadows.

Raina was the main man for Chennai Super Kings. He batted at No. 3 and didn't have to move down the order for bigger names who couldn't adjust. Then the Super Kings were suspended for two years and through adversity came an opportunity.

At Super Kings, Raina had the image of being Dhoni's man. Before that he was former India coach Greg Chappell's man, Rahul Dravid's man; wherever he went, he was somebody's man. He might soon have to be Virat Kohli's man. For now, though, Raina can step out and be his own man. Lead his own team. Build his own team.

Raina has already made an imprint on the Lions, who bought five Uttar Pradesh players at the auction. UP is not a state where fancy scouts go looking for talent. Hell, even their own selectors barely go looking. This could be an untapped source, which Raina is well aware of. This could be Raina giving back to his home state. Either way Raina is going to command respect.

In typical fashion, though, Raina let the spotlight sit on others. "Captain is just a name," he said when asked about his new chapter. "You need to have good coaches around [pointing to Brad Hodge sitting next to him], good players around. You need to go there and enjoy. This IPL is like that only, you just need to go and enjoy yourself."

Raina has captained sides before - UP, Super Kings, even India - but this is the first time he is leading a side for a whole season. "I've done it for UP, I've done [it] for the Indian team, I've done it for the IPL team," he said. "So this will be interesting for me to just go there and express myself. We do have a coach from Australia, and he has done really well in IPL in India as well as for Australia team. So we do have a lot of youngsters and lot of experienced players in our side. We are pumped up and looking forward to our game tomorrow."

Raina's challenges will be many, and immediate. James Faulkner, one of Lions' big players, will be low on confidence after his over turned the game in India's favour at this very venue only two weeks ago. Brendon McCullum's injury-prone back will have to be watched. Dwayne Smith isn't in India yet. Raina himself had a woeful World T20. Both Raina the batsman and Raina the captain will have to be at their best at the start of this new chapter in his career.