MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli are similar characters, says Suresh Raina

What's the story?

Despite being off the field for so long, Suresh Raina is not bothered by the current pace of his cricket career. This 30-year-old Indian batsman is presently in Chennai for the Kalpathi-AGS-Buchi Babu tournament.

While training for the same at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Raina took a small break and spoke to the media. “I remember so many things here with the Indian team and the Chennai Super Kings", said the left-handed batsman as he acknowledged the familiar faces amongst the ground staff.

Raina strongly believes that the former Indian skipper MS Dhoni is similar to his successor. “He and Kohli are similar characters, tough and hard to put down", he affirmed.

He also responded to the criticism that he faces due to his vulnerability against the short-pitched balling, he said, "I want to use the stairs, not the elevator. If I was really weak against the short-pitched stuff, I would have been targeted in the ODIs too. How is it that I have played over 200 ODIs in different parts of the world. I have been talking to different people, improving my game."

In case you didn't know...

Raina has been missing from the Indian side for a long time. His last Test and ODI matches were back in 2015. This year he represented India in the T20 format against England when the Englishmen visited India.

All throughout this time, his social media suggested that he is undergoing intense physical training. However, recently it was reported that he failed to clear the endurance test at the National Cricket Academy.

The details

Raina is determined to work his way back into the Indian national squad. He mentioned that he is working hard to earn his place in the team.

He is also confident about Dhoni's future in the team as he feels that the latter is 'solid' with the bat, keeps exceptionally well and contributes majorly to the team.

Raina is also the highest run-scorer in the Indian Premier League and dominates the T20 format. He also expressed his excitement about the return of Chennai Super Kings in the IPL after a two-year ban. However, he is uncertain about his presence in the team and believes that it solely depends on the franchise.

He was also asked about his plans for the 2019 World Cup to which he responded by stating that he does not like planning the future far ahead. Instead, he prefers to dedicate his hundred percent to the present.

What's next?

After the Kalpathi-AGS-Buchi Babu tournament, Raina will head back to Uttar Pradesh to train for the upcoming Duleep Trophy.

Author's take

Raina has proved himself as a power-hitter in the T20 format. However, his performances in the Tests and ODIs have been questioned from time to time. He is evidently uncomfortable while facing short deliveries.

Rain needs to prove himself in order to get back his place in the team and the upcoming domestic tournaments will give him limited chances to do the same. He will have to make optimum use of these opportunities in order to strengthen his case in front of the selectors.