Who is known as Mr IPL and why?

Former Indian and Chennai Super Kings star batter Suresh Raina is known as Mr IPL because of the massive impact he has had on IPL history.

While more recent fans will suggest that superstars like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma or Shikhar Dhawan are also contenders for the title, there is no one more deserving than CSK’s ‘Chinna Thala’ who has been one of the most flamboyant and successful players in the history of the Indian Premier League.

There have been plenty of elite cricketers who have graced the league and made it the successful juggernaut it is today. The IPL has hosted the greatest talents in cricket from all over the world.

Whenever we think of the Indian Premier League, there are some players who instantly come to mind. The first name is probably that of Chris Gayle whose innovative and explosive batting heroics stole headlines for fun. AB De Villiers is perhaps the most ingenious and talented cricketer to feature in an IPL season. Maverick batsman, gun fielder, reliable team man, and always classy, De Villiers, along with Gayle, has unfortunately never won the IPL.

Lasith Malinga also has a claim to be called Mr IPL. After all, he was the highest wicket-taker in the tournament’s history until he was eclipsed by CSK all-rounder Dwayne Bravo and was also an essential part of Mumbai Indians’ multiple title success. However, the IPL is usually regarded as the batsman’s paradise and they have held more of the limelight in the Indian Premier League.

Another candidate would be former Sunrisers Hyderabad captain and current Delhi Capitals opener David Warner. He has won the most number of Orange Caps in IPL history, finishing with the most runs in a single season on three occasions. He also led SRH to the title in 2016. However, he still falls short to Suresh Raina when it comes to the title of Mr IPL.

Why is that? Let’s discuss in greater detail below:

Mr IPL: Career stats in the Indian Premier League

An almost immortal name in the history of white-ball cricket in India, Suresh Raina has had an illustrious IPL career where he has seen and achieved nearly everything there is. Although the left-handed stylish and elegant batsman made his ODI debut for India in 2005 against Sri Lanka, the Indian Premier League has been his biggest break since the inaugural season in 2008.

Chinna Thala Suresh Raina began his IPL career with a bang. He scored 421 runs in his very first season with the franchise from Tamil Nadu at a strike rate of over 142 and made three impressive half-centuries. That level of consistency and reliability in the middle-order would be synonymous with Raina as he went on to score over 400 runs a season in nine of the 13 seasons that he spent in the Indian Premier League.

The number 3 batsman also crossed the 500-run mark in a season on three occasions – he scored 520 runs in 2010 (when CSK won their first IPL title), 548 runs in IPL 2013, and 523 runs in IPL 2014.

Suresh Raina was also the first player to reach the grand milestone of 5000 runs in the Indian Premier League. Although he may not have grabbed the limelight as the likes of Chris Gayle, AB De Villiers, Virat Kohli, and David Warner did, Suresh Raina quietly went about business in the background and made things tick for Chennai Super Kings.

Before Virat Kohli overtook him when he was well past his prime, Raina also held the record for being the highest scorer in IPL history for a long stretch of time. Having retired from international cricket in 2020, 35-year-old Suresh Raina is in the twilight years of his cricket career.

He had registered himself in the IPL 2022 mega auction but didn’t get selected. Everyone was left in shock when Chennai Super Kings didn’t even bid once for Raina, even at his base price of Rs. 2 crores. However, in all honesty, as big as this nose was, it wasn’t entirely unexpected given that he had lost his form and place in the side and numbers had nosedived significantly.

The southpaw had scored over 350 runs in every season between 2008 and 2019 and was also a bank for CSK in the middle order. However, he pulled out of the IPL 2020 on personal grounds and then flopped in IPL 2021 – managing only 160 runs in 12 matches at 17 while striking at 125 before he got injured and was replaced by Robin Uthappa.

Former Sri Lanka captain and Rajasthan Royals team director Kumar Sangakkara spoke about the auction dynamics and explained why despite scoring more than 5000 runs, the 35-year-old left-hand batter couldn’t get any deal.

“There are different ways to look at it. As the years go by, players change and reputations are also made new by younger players. In the case of Suresh Raina, his reputation is unbelievable in IPL cricket. He has been an absolute legend, one of the best and top-most performers season after season.

“When you go into granular detail, perhaps the player is not suited for that season. It takes nothing away from the player being one of the best, or the player being of absolutely high quality and it is something that analysts, coaches, and owners look for,” Kumar Sangakkara said.

Raina has played 205 IPL matches, scoring 5528 runs at an average of 32.52. He has a century and 39 fifties to his account. He has also picked up 25 wickets in 13 seasons of the Indian Premier League.

Suresh Raina also captained Gujarat Lions in 2016 and 2017 when CSK got dissolved for two years due to match-fixing allegations. Even with a sub-par bowling unit, he led Lions to the top of the points table in 2016 but wasn’t able to qualify for the final. The following year, however, Gujarat Lions finished second from bottom in the IPL table.

When Chennai Super Kings were able to get reinstated back into the IPL in 2018, they immediately drafted Suresh Raina back into the squad. They completed a historic comeback and won the title in that very season.

Besides his batting, Suresh Raina is also one of the greatest fielders in the history of Indian cricket. Much like Ravindra Jadeja now, Raina had a gun of a left hand with which he took several impressive catches and affected even more impressive run outs. Having Raina on the park was the equivalent of playing with an additional fielder.

With 109 catches in 204 matches, Suresh Raina holds the record for the most catches taken by a fielder in IPL history. He’s also only behind Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli when it comes to the most run outs by a fielder in IPL (16). He is a wonderful slip fielder and is also brilliant on the boundary.

Besides his batting and fielding exploits, Raina is also a more than handy bowler. He has taken 25 wickets with an economy of less than 8 which is quite beneficial in the T20 format.

Also read – Which team has won most matches in IPL (2008-2023)? Get all records (mpl.live)

Mr IPL Suresh Raina’s biggest moment in IPL history

No discussion surrounding Suresh Raina’s IPL career is ever complete without mentioning his outrageous and whirlwind knock against Punjab Kings (then known as Kings XI Punjab). It is not only one of the best IPL innings of all time, but is also among the greatest knocks ever played in the history of T20 cricket.

Punjab made a massive total of 226 runs with 4 wickets remaining in their 20 overs with the help of a blistering century from Virender Sehwag who finished with 122 runs.

In return, CSK were dismantled early with Mitchell Johnson taking the wicket of Du Plessis on the second ball of the innings. Mr IPL Suresh Raina walked in at his usual one down position. He smashed a four on his first ball and went on to hit the second quickest 50 in IPL off 17 deliveries with a six in just 4.2 overs.

He put his foot on the accelerator even more after the dismissal of Dwayne Smith. In the next over, everyone saw near impossible stuff from Suresh Raina who smacked two sixes and five fours in the seven-ball over from Parvinder Awana who ended up leaking 33 runs in that over.

CSK unbelievable shot up to 100 runs inside the powerplay. But Raina got run out with a splendid throw by George Bailey. This ended a jubilant knock of 87 runs off only 25 deliveries that included 12 fours and 6 sixes. Although Raina batted like a man possessed, CSK ended up losing the match by 24 runs which brought an end to their IPL 2014 campaign.

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FAQs

When is the birthday of Mr IPL?

Mr IPL Sures Raina was born on 27 November 1986. He is 35 years old.

Is Mr IPL Suresh Raina playing in IPL 2022?

No, unfortunately, he did not get picked by a single team in IPL 2022. He’s working in the commentary box instead, during the season.

What role is Mr IPL serving during IPL 2022?

Sures Raina is working as a commentator with Star Sports during the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League. He is alongside some big names like Ravi Shastri and Aakash Chopra on the microphone.