India Discard Suresh Raina All Set To Play In Moin-ud Dowlah Trophy

After being ignored by the selectors once again for the upcoming limited-overs series in Sri Lanka, discarded Indian batsman Suresh Raina along with off-spinner Jayant Yadav and wicketkeeper-batsman Naman Ojha is all set to play the All India Coromandel King Moin-ud Dowlah Gold Cup tournament to be held from August 22 to 31 in Hyderabad. The trio will ply their trade for the Air India team.

Raina is currently trying to win back his place in the national team. The left-handed batsman, who was an indispensable part of India’s limited-overs team since making his comeback in 2008, last played an ODI in October 2015 during the five-match series against South Africa before getting dropped.

He was recalled for the ODI series against New Zealand in October last year but did not play a single game due to illness. However, he was handed a lifeline when he was recalled for the T20 series against England earlier this year and the southpaw fully capitalised on it by finishing the three-match series as its third highest run-getter with 104 runs.

Moreover, his performance in this year’s Indian Premier League where he scored 442 runs in 14 matches, was enough to prove that he still has a lot to offer to Indian cricket. However, he is still waiting to get a call from the Indian team.

After a heavy circuit training this morning it's time to hit the nets!Some #hits, some #catches & lots of #fielding. Loved it! @UPCACricket pic.twitter.com/2IbMVs3OLL

— Suresh Raina?? (@ImRaina) August 17, 2017

“Raina’s, Yadav’s and Ojha’s participation is confirmed,” Air India team manager Manoj Sharma was quoted as saying by the The Indian Express.  However, the organisers of the tournament have refrained from making any comment on the participation of the players. Sharma also revealed that veteran allrounder Rajat Bhatia and  Manvinder Singh Bisla will also join the Air India squad.

Talks of Yuvraj Singh joining the Air India team are also doing the rounds. The southpaw, who is not a part of the Indian team for the upcoming limited-overs series in Sri Lanka, had played for Air India in the 2015 edition of the tournament.

“It has not been confirmed yet. But, there is a chance that he (Yuvraj) and Harbhanjan Singh might also join (Air India) in the days to come,” Sharma said.

Meanwhile, teams from across the country will feature in the tournament while Hyderabad Cricket Association will field two teams. HCA XI will be led by international and local star Ambati Rayudu and President’s XI will have the services of former India pacer Sudip Tyagi.