“Main Suresh Raina hoon, Shahid Afridi nahi” – Suresh Raina Takes a Dig at Shahid Afridi On Being Asked to Come Out of Retirement
Former Indian cricket team star Suresh Raina is now working on a commentator gig in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. On Tuesday, he joined Aakash Chopra and Parthiv Patel to cover the game between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Qualifier 1. During the match, Raina made a witty remark about ex-Pakistani all-rounder and captain Shahid Afridi.
Suresh Raina Takes a Dig at Shahid Afridi On Being Asked to Come Out of Retirement
While KKR was batting, an aerial shot of the crowded Ahmedabad stadium was shown. Aakash Chopra admired the view and asked Raina if he had ever played there. Raina replied that he had not. Chopra then inquired if Raina had any plans to come out of retirement. Raina joked, “No, Aakash bhai, I am Suresh Raina, not Shahid Afridi,” which made everyone in the commentary box laugh.
Afridi is famous for his multiple retirements and subsequent returns to cricket. He first retired from Test cricket in 2006 but came back two weeks later. In 2011, after losing the captaincy, he retired from ODIs, only to return five months afterwards. He considered retiring again in 2012 but continued playing until 2015. Afridi finally announced his retirement from international cricket in 2017, making headlines for his frequent retirements and comebacks.
Now 47, Afridi still plays in various leagues. He was active in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) until he was 45 and played his last match around two years ago, stepping away due to fitness issues. Nevertheless, he remains active in other leagues, including the US Masters T10 League last August.
Raina, who is 37, played his last IPL match in 2021 and retired from all forms of cricket on September 6, 2022. He now plays in the Legends League Cricket, which features many former cricket greats.
19:30 IST
