There’s a moment from the 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL) season that replays in Suresh Raina’s head. When batting against Kings XI Punjab, the Gujarat Lions skipper watched the stadium break into applause. A number flashed across the screen – Raina had become the highest IPL run scorer.
It was a memorable season for the batsman – he crossed more than 150 matches in the IPL (161), averaging 34.13, and scoring 4,540 runs in total, beating Indian captain Virat Kohli at 4,418 runs. Since the IPL wound up in May, Raina has been roped in by Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) club Grandslam, as is mandatory for participation in the tournament.
The left-handed batsman Raina confirmed that he will be playing TNPL this season. “As a player, we want to play wherever we get chance. There is no cricket happening in month of July. So, in order to gain some match practice, I thought to play TNPL. It’s is a good league and there is some good talent playing there. It is always good to have some good competitive games before domestic season starts,” Raina was quoted as saying while speaking to The Indian Express.
The other popular names set to feature in this edition of TNPL are Sanju Samson, Sandeep Sharma, Ashok Dinda, Unmukt Chand, Manoj Tiwary, Manan Vohra and Hanuma Vihari.
