Suresh Raina birthday: 'Selfless and special' - Gambhir and Irfan lead wishes on former India all-rounder's 34th birthday

Chennai Super Kings batsman (CSK) Suresh Raina turned 34 today, and wishes poured in on Twitter from all corners of the cricketing fraternity.

Raina has flown under the radar a bit in recent months after withdrawing from the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020). CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in their history to finish a disappointing 7th, and they sorely missed the services of their vice-captain and leading run-scorer.

Shortly before IPL 2020, Suresh Raina and his CSK captain MS Dhoni announced their retirements from international cricket on the same day (Independence Day).

Over the course of his storied international career, Suresh Raina played 18 Tests, 226 ODIs and 78 T20Is, scoring 768, 5,615 and 1,605 runs respectively. The classy southpaw is one of the few (and the first) Indian cricketers to have scored a century in all 3 formats of international cricket.

He won the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy with India, and played an especially crucial role in the quarter-final and semi-final of the former. Raina also chipped in with the ball frequently (he took over 60 international wickets) and contributed with his electric fielding in almost every game for the country.

In the IPL, Suresh Raina is the second-highest run-scorer with 5,368 runs, behind only Indian skipper Virat Kohli. He has been an integral part of the Men in Yellow in each of their 3 title triumphs, and has won two Champions League T20 titles as well.

Twitter had a lot to say on the momentous occasion, as former and current cricketers - apart from fans, of course - paid their tributes to Suresh Raina. Here are some of the best reactions.

Twitter wishes Suresh Raina a happy 34th birthday

About the author

Sai is a cricket journalist at Sportskeeda who focuses on listicles and features. A software developer by trade and a writer at heart, he has over 7 years of previous work experience, and always aims to aptly translate his in-depth knowledge and natural affinity for cricket into carefully crafted and well-researched articles.

Sai also has a rich history playing the sport. He has featured at the U-16 and the U-19 district levels for Coimbatore, and has also captained his alma mater Birla Institute of Technology and Science (Pilani) Goa's college cricket team in the past.

Sai, who feels Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a one-of-a-kind athlete, has written over 40 exclusives for Sportskeeda based on players from different levels and age-groups. When he is not working, Sai likes to indulge in travelling, music, photography, and keep close tabs on football, basketball, MMA and F1. He harbors a dream to one day become a high-level cricket analyst and a coach.

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