Lessons from Raina on how to remain on a song while fighting against the toughest of odds

By K.R. Nayar

This piece is not about Raina’s runs, catches, or sixes, but a journey into his mindset following a long chat with him a few years ago.  Raina’s approach is worth emulating. Although it’s been cricket all his life for him, he also sang and listened to songs to relax, and be on a song with his skills. 

With Suresh Raina after a chat with him on his cricketing mindset

If a cricketer decides to retire on the same day that Mahendra Singh Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket, it is but natural that all attention will go to Dhoni being a legend that he is. Suresh Raina wasn’t concerned about that, and he too retired on the same day that his best friend and his most respected captain for many years decided to stop playing international cricket. 

There is a lot written about Raina’s achievement in cricket such as being the first Indian to hit a century in T20 Internationals, the 12th Indian to hit a century on Test debut, the first Indian to score a century in T20 and ODI World Cups, and about his exploits in the Indian Premier League like being the second-highest run-getter in the league after Virat Kohli, and most catches by a fielder.

Thank you, Raina, you really entertained every cricket fan through your exploits and should continue doing that through the IPL. But this story is about Raina, who was born in a small town called Muradnagar in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, and who could go on to achieve so many feats.

Raina captured in front of his poster

In 2016, I had the opportunity for a long one-to-one interview with him in Dubai. He was in a relaxed mood and before the interview, I told him that I would like him to let me have a peep into his cricketing mindset. When he looked at me with a quizzing expression, I told him that since Raina the cricketer was known to almost everyone, I would prefer this approach.

And what emerged out of that interaction was a lesson for all young cricketers on how one can achieve success through sheer perseverance and devotion towards the game, irrespective of where you come from. I had read a comment from one of his earlier coaches S.P. Krishan that what impressed him the most about him was 'not how he scored his runs but his approach to the game and his attitude'. So when I asked him about his approach, he said: “If I have achieved anything, it is only because I have worked hard for it.  If I am playing a match tomorrow, then I would be practicing for two hours. Before I go for an international tour, I try to prepare myself mentally at least two months before.” Raina’s two hours, as well as his two month’s preparation, were not merely a dedicated effort but backed by a theory which he believed in strongly: “It is very important to know how I am feeling mentally. Sometimes one tends to think that I have not done well in the past and hence I have to do well in the future, but the most important thing is to live in the present. You need to be spot on with your work,” he said.

Popular RJ Fahad Hussain who played against Raina as a teenager 

RJ Fahad Hussain, who hosts the popular Purani Jeans late-night show on UAE’s Radio Kadak, was witness to 17-year-old Raina’s dedication when he was a young boy. “I was playing for the AMU Cricket Team and we had a tour of the Lucknow Sports Hostel. The match was held in April, which is reasonably hot in Lucknow. We scored around 240 runs in 50 overs.  Seventeen-year-old Raina came out to bat at one down and hit 80 odd runs and got out only when his team needed about 15 more runs to win. They won the match comfortably, and by the end of it we were all exhausted because of the heat. But Raina did not remove his pads after the match. Instead, he went back to the crease with a few of his juniors and started practicing again for another hour. My team coach and ex UP Ranji Trophy captain Shahid Sir, watching Raina train so hard, said: ‘If this guy continues chasing his hunger like this, he will play for India one day.’ Shahid Sir was right on target,” recalled Fahad.

Raina’s approach to success and failure is a message for everyone on how to go after your goal without tension and pressure. According to Raina: “I may do well tomorrow but may not do well the day after. Similarly, I may do well today but might not do well in the next six months, but what is important is to remain very humble. This game is very strong, and I believe that if you respect this game then definitely the game will reward you.”

Raina’s ability to hit over 100 sixes in the IPL is also an example of how one can perform something that many believe requires a huge built and a lot of strength. His answer to everyone who thinks that six-hitting is not meant for them is, “It is not through power that I achieved it, but by timing the ball. The game has changed today and all players can hit sixes. Everyone wants to enjoy the game, and we all are entertainers. We have to go there and play like a champ.” 

The strong belief in being able to do the impossible stood out during the conversation for me. “Setbacks make you a better person, make you a tougher player,” he remarked.

Suresh Raina the singer 

So does Raina, who has such intense desires and dedication to hard work, manage to relax and enjoy life too? “I enjoy singing. When you are playing so much under pressure, you need to calm down. I enjoy listening to Hindi songs by Kishore Kumar, Mohammad Rafi, Shreya Ghoshal, and Lata Mangeshkar. You need to switch off from cricket a bit so that you can come back stronger,” believes Raina, who has sung a song for a Bollywood film named ‘Meerutthiya Gangsters.’ Click to listen to his song on video. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfwRU8nCqYQ

As l left after the long chat, I knew why when Raina the batsman is on a song, it’s melodious, and as a fielder when he takes those catches and produces those sterling run-outs, he takes everyone’s breath away.
Welcome Raina to the UAE for many more such moments during the IPL.