Suresh Raina Eyes Career In Politics
Jan 22, 2017 at 10:10 AM
Currently out of the national team, India batsman Suresh Raina is reportedly planning to try his hands in politics.
Speculations are rife that the southpaw is looking to join the Samajwadi Party after he was spotted meeting senior party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ramgopal Yadav in New Delhi on Saturday (January 21), ahead of Uttar Pradesh’s assembly polls. Rumors have been further fueled by the timing of the meeting as it has taken place only a day after the political party announced the list of 199 candidates for the first three phases.
#FLASH Cricketer Suresh Raina met SP leader Ramgopal Yadav in Delhi pic.twitter.com/GAt0IDLZhc
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 21, 2017
Not long ago, the Uttar Pradesh ace was the batting mainstay of the Indian team in limited-overs format. But inconsistent displays saw him falling out of favour with selectors. His last ODI appearance came way back in October 2015 during the five-match series against South Africa. On flat Indian pitches, the southpaw struggled against the Proteas bowlers and was dropped from the team thereafter. In first three matches of the series- he registered a score of three in the first ODI followed by two ducks in the next two games. He scored a fifty in the fourth match but another failure in the final match was enough for the selectors to show him the door.
Raina was included in the squad for the ODI series against New Zealand but did not play a single game due to illness. But the 30-year-old will have a chance to showcase his worth in the upcoming T20 series against England, starting January 26.