The making of Suresh Raina
From being beaten with hockey sticks in a sports hostel to becoming a limited-overs match-winner for India, Suresh Raina has come a long way
ESPNcricinfo staff
08-Mar-2016
The Indian Express chronicles the journey of how Suresh Raina overcame extreme bullying in sports hostels and became one of India's finest limited-overs match-winners.
There wasn't much money. "I would get 200 rupees in money order from papa -- we used to eat samosa, Parle G biscuit. I got tougher in those times." He also began to be noticed. People wanted him in their teams when they went to villages to play cricket. "I would get Rs 200 - for hitting 4-5 sixes. I would buy spike shoes with that money." Meanwhile, UP cricket continued to lurch in politics. "A call will come to selectors about some boy or other. Tondu phondu bache hote tey, very average in cricket but these guys will say, 'You play well, you will be selected'. Kal naam aayega Dainik Jagran mey (Your name will appear in the newspaper).
A call came from Mumbai to play cricket for Air India -- an event that he credits as life-changing. "UP mey rehta toh bas khatam ho jaata, chote mote games khelte hue." At Air India, Pravin Amre encouraged him a lot and things began to flow. In 1999, Raina got a scholarship with Air India that paid him Rs 10,000. "I would send 8,000 to my family. A STD call to home would cost four rupees, and as soon as two minutes would end, I would keep the phone down. All that taught me the value of money."