I wrote on Raina almost a year back just before he got selected for the Indian One Day team. I had stated that Raina is one for the future. I can say now that the future is here. India were struggling in the second One Day International versus England. A defeating chasing a low score (just like England had managed to do in the first One Dayer) looked on the cards. Suddenly the smallish target of 227 looked mighty big with 5 Indian wickets down.

Raina, with an unbeaten 81 off 89 balls, played his most important international inning yet. Raina is agressive. Raina is technically sound. Raina can also field superbly. What more do you want? We can go on and on regarding Raina’s strong points. Temperament, thought,  is the biggest strength of Suresh Raina. He showed it during Uttar Pradesh’s Ranji Trophy trimph this year with vital innings which are expected off seasoned campaigners and not new kids on the block.

But Raina isn’t really a new kid. He is known to have an old head on young shoulders right from the under-19 days. Today, he gained many more fans and admirers. It is only time before Raina makes a test debut and shines at the test level. In place of who you ask. The middle order is jam packed you retort. Those were the same sounds I heard from every where before Raina was selected for the One Day squad. I had written back then:

Quality players do not wait for room in the XI. They make their own room. Would a Sachin Tendulkar really not make it to the test team if the middle order was tightly packed? If not in tour x, then on tour y. Else tour z is always there. It is only a matter of when and not if with quality players. Raina is a quality player. The future is here for Suresh Raina.

A lot of work and fatigue coupled with sporting reflections not coming in a time when the Open is being played in Golf, Davis Cup quarters are going on, Formula 1 (I am very off post Indianapolis) and most importantly a sports burn out due to the millions of Ashes stories in the past two months have meant 2 days without any posts.

However I must write before possibly a landmark moment in the life of Suresh Raina. He has shown all the right signals with explosive knocks in all the opportunities he has had, whether its the under 19 world cup or India A or the likes. After the training camp, he is one of the few players who have apparently impressed Chappell and the people that count the most. Writes The Telegraph:

Meanwhile, one learns 18-year-old left-hander, Suresh Raina of UP, is a hot contender for a middle-order berth.

A middle order packed with ’star’ players. So how can Raina even think of finding a berth is the common argument. Well then no one would ever find a place, even if that specific player is good enough. The guy is untried, untested. I have supported him from the time of the under 19 world cup.

Here is hoping many good things lie ahead for the 18 year old man.

{Update} Raina has got selected in the Indian one day squad.