MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina’s partnerships (X.com)
Former Indian cricketers MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina formed one of the most iconic batting pairs in Indian cricket. The duo, being middle order batters, complemented each other’s aggressive style of strokeplay.
Besides, MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina shared great camaraderie off the field, having played international cricket for India and franchise cricket for Chennai Super Kings together for more than a decade.
Having said that, MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina’s understanding and chemistry made them a formidable duo, especially in limited-overs cricket. On that note, here are the top five partnerships between MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina registered in international cricket.
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MS Dhoni & Suresh Raina vs AUS (X.com)
In the 2009 ODI series against Australia held in Nagpur, MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina once again showcased their brilliant understanding of the middle order. Chasing a target of 351, India was struggling at 97/3 when Dhoni and Raina took charge. They added 136 runs for the fourth wicket, with Raina scoring 59 off 59 balls and Dhoni making 124 off 107 balls. Raina mostly played second fiddle as the captain unleashed carnage from the other end. While India ended up losing the game, the partnership was etched in the history books of cricket.
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MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina vs Sri Lanka (X.com)
Back in 2008, MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina cemented their place as one of the feisty duos in Indian cricket. Dhoni and Raina built a crucial 142-run partnership in the second match while batting first. India once again landed in trouble at 130/4 when Raina joined Dhoni at the crease. Together, they countered the Sri Lankan bowling attack, contributing with 76 runs each. Their partnership helped India post a challenging total of 256/9, which they successfully defended, thus winning the match by 15 runs.
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MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina vs Hong Kong
During the 2008 Asia Cup, MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina put together a 166-run partnership against Hong Kong. India had lost a couple of early wickets when the duo came together. Raina blasted his way to 101 off 68 balls, while Dhoni played a captain’s knock of 109* off 96 balls. Notably, the extraordinary partnership powered India to a mammoth total of 374/4. Eventually, the innings set the tone for an easy win, with India cruising to a 256-run victory, which remains one of their largest margins of victory in the ODI format.
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MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina vs England (X.com)
In the 2011 ODI series against England held at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground, MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina were instrumental in helping India post a competitive total. Coming together at 110/4, the pair added 169 runs for the fifth wicket. Raina played aggressively, scoring 84 off 75 balls, while Dhoni contributed a steady 78 off 71 balls. Their partnership was crucial in setting up India’s total of 280/5. Although rain affected the match, and it ended in a tie via the DLS method, the Dhoni-Raina partnership was definitely a major highlight of the game.
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MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina vs ZIM (X.com)
One of the most memorable partnerships between MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina came against Zimbabwe in the 2015 ODI World Cup. Batting first, India was reduced to 92/4 courtesy of a sensational display of bowling skills from the inexperienced Zimbabwe squad. However, MS Dhoni walked in at no.6 to unleash a counterattack with Suresh Raina. The duo rotated the strike consistently while picking boundary gaps at regular intervals as well. With a 196-partnership, India finished with a match-winning total to outclass Zimbabwe
