Stats Analysis

Suresh Raina - Most sixes by an Indian in ODIs between 2008 and 2015

Statistics that show how the left-hander was part of a strong engine room for India in the late 2000s

Bharath Seervi
16-Aug-2020
Suresh Raina played several important knocks from India's middle order

Suresh Raina played several important knocks from India's middle order  •  Getty Images

Soon after MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina also announced his retirement from international cricket on social media. Raina along with Dhoni formed a strong lower middle-order for India in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Raina might not have big numbers behind his name like Dhoni, but below are some stats that show what he meant to Indian team.
4394 - Runs scored by Raina batting at No. 5 and lower in his ODI career. Only two India batsmen have scored more runs from those positions: Dhoni 8183 and Yuvraj Singh 4809. Raina scored those runs at average of 34.87 and strike rate of 93.66. His strike rate is the second-highest among 19 batsmen who scored 4000-plus runs batting at No. 5 and lower in ODIs. Only Shahid Afridi (132.58) had a higher strike rate.
116 - Sixes hit by Raina in ODIs between 2008 and 2015 - the most among India batsmen. Overall, only three batsmen had hit more sixes in that period - AB de Villiers (144), Chris Gayle (140) and Brendon McCullum (140).
97.96 - Raina's strike rate in ODIs between 2008 and 2012. Among 32 batsmen who scored 2000-plus runs during that period, only Virender Sehwag (121.06) had a better strike rate than Raina.
23 - Number of times Raina remained not out in successful ODI chases between 2008 and 2015. Only Dhoni (25 times) had more not outs than Raina in that period. Raina averaged 66.41 and had strike rate of 104.45 in 47 successful chases in that period.
7 - International centuries for Raina - one in Tests, five in ODIs and 1 in T20Is. He became the first India batsman to score centuries in all three formats in 2010. Incidentally, all those seven centuries have come outside India.
11 - Man of the Match awards for Raina in ODIs between 2008 and 2015. Only Kohli (21) and Dhoni (13) won more such awards in that period. Overall, Raina won 12 MoM awards, of which five were against England.
102 - Catches by Raina in ODIs. During his career, no other India fielder took more catches; Kohli took 101 catches. Overall, Raina is one of only five India fielders to take over 100 catches in ODIs. In T20Is, with 42 catches to his name, Raina has the most catches by an India fielder.
107.50 - Raina's strike rate in the two ODI World Cups he played, scoring 358 runs in nine innings at average of 59.66. Only Kapil Dev has a better strike rate (115.14) among India players who have scored 300-plus runs in World Cups. In Asia Cup matches, he scored 547 runs at average of 60.77 and strike rate of 113.95. Only Afridi (140.74) has a better strike rate among 23 players who scored 500-plus runs in the Asia Cup. Though he excelled in Asia Cup and World Cup, Raina had poor numbers in Champions Trophy: 95 runs in seven innings at average of 15.83 with highest of 46.
2421 - Total partnership runs scored by Raina and Dhoni for the fifth-wicket in ODIs, which is the most by a pair for that wicket. In 54 partnerships for fifth wicket, the duo averaged 51.51 along with five century stands. Between 2008 and 2011, they added 1813 runs in 32 partnerships (for all wickets), which was the most by any India pair during that period and third-highest by any pair overall. Overall, Dhoni and Raina added 3585 runs as a pair in 73 stands with nine 100-plus stands with highest of unbeaten 196 runs against Zimbabwe in 2015 World Cup, which is the highest partnership for India in a World Cup match while chasing.
120 - Raina's score on Test debut, against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2010. He is one of 15 India batsmen to score a century on Test debut. However, in his final Test, which was against Australia at SCG in 2015, he got ducks in both innings. He thus became the first player to score a century on Test debut and bag a pair in his final Test. He had begun his ODI career with a golden duck on debut.

Bharath Seervi is stats sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo @SeerviBharath