New Delhi:Last month Suresh Raina got a shock treatment from the Indian board (BCCI). India's limited-overs specialist was dropped from the annual contract list, and many have termed the move as the beginning of the end for Raina cricket career.
The 30-year-old was even called 'reluctant cricketer', courtesy comments from an unsolicited coach from Uttar Pradesh. The unnamed coach had claimed that since his marriage in 2015, the all-rounder has shifted his priorities, and cricket has become a pastime.
"His priorities have changed after he became a family man. I have noticed that he has not been concentrating on his game. He has become a reluctant cricketer. He just played three Ranji matches for UP this season and didn't turn out for Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare tournaments," Mid-day quoted the coach.
And all these Raina was keeping a dignified silence.
But he finally opened up, just in time, ahead of the start of the 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. He will lead a strong Gujarat Lions team.
Then came his admittance that he indeed was taking time-off, but for a far more important reason.
“Logon ka kaam chahiye bolne ka – aisa hai, waisa hai,” he told The Indian Express. “I have to take my daughter to hospital, I have to do the work at home and I can’t see how people can criticise me for that? Bahar ka banda nahi aayega na yeh sab karne?”
His daughter Gracia, he says, wasn’t all that well and it had come on the back of his own illness – flu and chicken pox, which had left him miss out games in domestic cricket. “I had informed my state selectors and BCCI. And I had to pull out after playing few Ranji games and Duleep. If I don’t take care of my young daughter or get some work done at home, who will?
He married Priyanka Chaudhary in 2015, and their daughter Gracia was born last May in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
“I had informed my state selectors and BCCI. And I had to pull out after playing few Ranji games and Duleep. If I don’t take care of my young daughter or get some work done at home, who will?" Raina asked.
Talking about the criticism hae has faced, Raina said that "circumstances were such" that he was forced to miss out cricket.
"If that leads to criticism, then what can I say? Any family man can hopefully understand it – take bollywood for example: Shahid Kapoor took a decision to not act for 6 months after the birth of his daughter. Even Harbhajan Singh also took some time out with his new born daughter. All this can’t be criticised but logon ka kaam hai, kehna,” he added.
But he has no bitterness, and is ready to respond with performance.
"There is no bitterness. The people who say stuff also need to look at themselves in the mirror. Bolna aasna hai.. ac room mey baitke..and choti moti headline banana key liye. My attitude will remain the same. I will try to dominate with my bat, and spread positive vibes while on the field. I always play for the team and I am not now suddenly going to start playing for my self,” he said.
The 10th season of IPL will start on Wednesday.
