Virat Kohli with Sachin Tendulkar during ODI World Cup 2023. (Pic Credit: BCCI/X)
The former India captain scored 10,773 runs in 350 ODIs before calling time on his international career on August 15, 2020.
Former Indian middle-order batter Suresh Raina, who played a big role in helping India win the 2011 ODI World Cup, ignored legendary batters Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli to pick a former India captain as the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time). During a Q&A session with presenter Shefali Bagga on the sidelines of the ongoing World Championship of Legends 2024 in England, when Raina was asked about the G.O.A.T., he mentioned MS Dhoni’s name.
Dhoni is one of the greatest cricketers of all time. Under his leadership, India won the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the Champions Trophy in 2013 by getting the better of England in the final. After playing 90 Tests, 350 ODIs, and 98 T20Is, Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020. His last appearance for India was against New Zealand in Manchester on July 10, 2019.
Dhoni finished his career with 10,773 runs in ODIs, which makes him the sixth-leading run scorer for India in the 50-over format of the game.
During the interaction, Raina was also asked about the future, and in reply, he mentioned Shubman Gill’s name. The 24-year-old Gill, who made his ODI debut for India in 2019, has established himself in all three formats of the game and is currently leading the Men in Blue in a five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe.
The right-handed top-order batter scored 66 runs in the third T20I played on Wednesday (July 10) to help India post a total of 182 runs, which in the end proved to be enough.
He finished as the leading run scorer in ODIs last year and also became the youngest batter to score a double century in ODIs. The Punjab-based cricketer holds the record for the highest individual score in T20Is by an Indian.
Raina, who represented the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL for more than a decade and won four titles, also picked his former Chennai teammate Michael Hussey as the most consistent player.
India Champions in Final
Raina will be seen in action for the India Champions on Saturday (July 13) against the Pakistan Champions during the WCL 2024 final, which will be played at Edgbaston.