Abu Dhabi T10: Suresh Raina joins Deccan Gladiators

Suresh Raina will be playing in the Abu Dhabi T10 league for the first time. For the upcoming season 6, he will be representing the Deccan Gladiators. It would be his first overseas T20 stint outside IPL.

Image credit: IPL

If India has ever produced one of the finest Twenty20 (T20) cricketers, Suresh Raina is one name that has to be included in the list. Being the first Indian centurion in the Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), he also made a name for himself in the Indian Premier League (IPL), playing for former four-time champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK). He announced his retirement from international cricket at the same time as his CSK skipper MS Dhoni, in 2020. Meanwhile, he looks set to play his first overseas tournament outside IPL, having retired from Indian cricket earlier this year, as he has joined Abu Dhabi T10 franchise Deccan Gladiators. The competition runs between November 23 - December 4.

As far as Raina’s T20 numbers are concerned, he has scored 8,654 runs in 319 innings at an average of 32.17 and a strike rate of 137.45, which includes four tons and 53 half-centuries, while his top score is an unbeaten 126. As for IPL, he has 5,528 in 200 at 32.52 and 136.73, including a 100 and 39 50s, while his top knock is the 100.

After joining the Gladiators, Raina told the tournament organisers, “I am thrilled to be joining the Deccan Gladiators, and hopefully, we will be able to retain the title this year. I have been looking forward to this new challenge in the Abu Dhabi T10 and hope to put on a show for the fans and my team. It promises to be an exciting tournament, and I am very excited to be a part of it.”

T10 COO Rajeev Khanna noted, “The addition of Suresh Raina to the roster for the Abu Dhabi T10 is fantastic news. He not only contributes with his incredible cricketing ability and talent for the tournament but also brings along his wealth of experience and knowledge for his teammates. His presence will surely draw more fans to be engaged with Season 6 of the Abu Dhabi T10.”

Meanwhile, Gladiators owner Gaurav Grover stated, “Bringing on board a player of the calibre of Suresh Raina is a fascinating prospect for the Deccan Gladiators. He will add a lot of ability to our batting set-up, and we are banking on him to score many runs. Suresh Raina’s inclusion strengthens our side, and we need as much of it as possible to defend our title this year.”