Last Update on: March 21st, 2023 at 12:29 pm

The 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to begin on March 31st, with four-time champion Chennai Super Kings taking on defending champion Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina has named his two opening batters in the last 15 years of the cash-rich league.

Suresh Raina announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020. The southpaw was one of the most successful batsmen in the IPL and is the fifth-highest run scorer in the cash-rich league with 5528 runs in 205 games, including 1 century and 39 half-centuries. He represented the Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Lions during his IPL career.

There’s No One Better Than These Two – Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina has picked Chris Gayle and Virender Sehwag as his opening pair in the IPL. Raina said that he picked them because of their impact in the first six overs and their performance over the years. The 36-year-old also said that David Warner has done well, but they are the best batters in terms of scoring runs in the power play.

“Mere liye Chris Gayle aur Viru paa. Kyuki jo impact hota hai naa, David Warner ne acha kiya, pr mujhe lagta hai ki jo domination chahiye hoti hai naa powerplay mein, vo Chris Gayle aur Virender Sehwag se acha aur koi nahi kar skta. Over the years, humne dekha hai ki Chris Gayle kab se khel raha hai, aur Viru paa jaise attacking itne saal khele hai. 6 overs mein agar run banana hai to inse best batsman nahi hai koi IPL mein (For me, Chris Gayle, and Virender Sehwag. David Warner has done well, but for the impact that is needed in the IPL, I don’t think anybody can do it better than Gayle and Sehwag. Over the years we have seen how they have performed, and if you want to make runs in the first six overs, then there’s no one better than these two),” Raina said on Jio Cinema.

Chris Gayle is the seventh-leading scorer in the tournament and third among overseas players behind David Warner and AB de Villiers. The left-handed batsman scored 4965 runs in 141 innings at an average of 39.72 and a strike rate of 148.96. Virender Sehwag, known for his aggressive batting, scored 2728 runs in 104 IPL games at an impressive strike rate of 155.44.

Also read: IPL 2023: They Were Really Upset: David Miller Reveals Gujarat Titans’ Reaction As He Is Set To Miss The Start Of The Season

IPL 2023: Suresh Raina Picks Chris Gayle And Virender Sehwag As His Opening Pair In The Indian Premier League, Leaving David Warner

There’s No One Better Than These Two – Suresh Raina

Related