Former India star and Chennai Super Kings’ leading run scorer Suresh Raina has announced his retirement from the IPL.
The 35-year-old was released by the CSK ahead of the last IPL season and went unsold in the 2022 mega-auction.
The fans and yellow army were hopeful of Raina’s return for the next season, but speaking to Dainik Jagran, Raina confirmed that he is leaving the IPL and his domestic side Uttar Pradesh (UP), to play in the global T20 leagues.
According to the BCCI protocols, any Indian who wants to feature in global leagues, must retire from all forms of cricket in India and obtain a NOC from the apex board.
Raina retired from international cricket in 2020, minutes after MS Dhoni bid adieu. The southpaw further revealed that he has informed the BCCI secretary and others about his decision to play in global leagues.
Raina has played 205 IPL matches and amassed 5528 runs. He said, “I lacked the game time and want to play cricket for 2-3 years. I have offers from leagues in South Africa, UAE, and Sri Lanka. Thus, I informed Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) about the same and obtained NOC from them. I further told Jay Shah about my decision and want to appreciate the BCCI for supporting me in my career.”
Raina didn’t disclose which team he would play for but revealed that he would participate in the upcoming Road Safety world series, which starts on 10th September.