Watch: Ten Suresh Raina innings that showed his true value to the Indian team

Suresh Raina announced his retirement from international cricket on Saturday, pulling the curtains on a 15-year career with the Indian cricket team.

The left-handed batsman and part-time off-spinner was part of several memorable victories with the Indian team, including the 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.

How Suresh Raina adapted his batting to ensure he will be remembered as a white-ball great for India

Although he played just 18 Test matches, Raina was an integral part of the Indian set-up in white-ball cricket for close to a decade.

Known for his brilliance as a fielder, the 33-year-old started off as a top-order batsman but gradually cemented his place in the India XI a little lower down the order.

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Along with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Raina played a number of crucial knocks in limited-overs games to take India to victory.

The southpaw will be remembered for his aggression, his ability to play aerial shots, the power he could generate, and the edge he provided to the Indian team with his style of batting.

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Here’s a look at ten of the best innings played by Raina for the Indian team:

81* vs England – 2006 ODI in Faridabad

This match was one of the first times Raina and Dhoni got together to take India to victory. Playing England in a seven-match ODI series, India won the first game comfortably. The action then shifted to Faridabad where the visitors won the toss and elected to bat first. But they couldn’t build on Kevin Pietersen’s 71 and were bowled out for just 226. India, however, found themselves in deep trouble when they were reduced to 92/5. But that’s when two young guns got together to take the hosts to victory. Dhoni got out for 38 for 55, with Raina remaining unbeaten on 81 off 89. It was a remarkably mature innings by the 18-year-old, who didn’t panic at any stage and stayed at the crease till the end. India went on to win the series 5-1.

106 vs Sri Lanka – 2010 ODI in Dhaka

In the final of the 2010 tri-series involving Bangladesh, the final saw India taking on Sri Lanka. Batting first, Dhoni and his men found themselves in a world of trouble after losing five wickets for just 60 runs inside the first 11 overs. Raina, batting at No 6, then got together with Ravindra Jadeja to put on a much-needed partnership of 106 runs. He paced his knock brilliantly and smashed 10 fours and a six to finish with 106 runs off 115 deliveries. His effort helped India reach a respectable total of 245, but it wasn’t enough as Sri Lanka chased it down with four wickets in hand to clinch the trophy.

101 vs South Africa – 2010 T20I in St Lucia

This remains arguably the finest knock of Raina’s career. Playing South Africa in a group game of the 2010 T20 World Cup, India were put in to bat first and lost the wicket of Murali Vijay off the second ball of the innings. But from there on, it was a Suresh Raina show all the way. The southpaw found the middle of the bat from the get go and went on to play a historic knock. The South African attack had the quality of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Jacques Kallis, but none of them had any answer for Raina’s onslaught. He hit nine fours and five sixes to finish with 101 runs off 60 balls, becoming the first Indian to score a century in a T20 International. India notched-up a 14-run victory in that game thanks to Raina’s splendid knock.

71* vs Australia – 2010 ODI in Vizag

Australia didn’t get off to the best start after being asked to bat first by Dhoni, with openers Shaun Marsh and Tim Paine back in the hut quickly. But skipper Michael Clarke (111*), Mike Hussey (69) and Cameron White (89*) ensured Australia put on a decent total of 289 runs. In reply, India were in a bit of trouble as well at 35/2 but Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh then got together to put on a 137-run stand. Australia still had a half chance as India needed 123 runs to win. But the visitors’ hopes were crushed in a hurry as Raina walked out and smashed an unbeaten 71 of just 47 balls. The hosts were under pressure after losing Kohli and Dhoni in quick succession with 36 runs still to get. Raina, though, didn’t panic at all and batted till the end. India won by five wickets and Kohli was declared the player of the match, but Raina’s contribution was just as memorable as he took the Aussie bowlers to task.

34* vs Australia – 2011 ODI in Ahmedabad

It wouldn’t be unfair to say that had Raina not played this knock, India may not have won the 2011 World Cup. It was the quarter-final against defending champions Australia, and Raina made one of the most crucial contributions of his career. Ricky Ponting won the toss, elected to bat and played a majestic innings of 104 runs. His team finished with 260/6, it wasn’t a huge total but considering the stakes, Australia seemed to have the upper hand at the halfway stage. India did well to reach 143/3, with Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir hitting fine half-centuries, but they then lost three key wickets for 44 runs to be placed in a precarious position. There was pin-drop silence inside the Motera Stadium as Dhoni got dismissed and Raina walked out to bat. India needed 75 runs at that time and Australia had the momentum. But from there on, Yuvraj and Raina got together to deliver a stunning, unbeaten partnership to take India home. Of course, the match will be remembered more for Yuvraj’s superb 57, but Raina’s contribution was mighty important as well. He showed no nerves, backed his strengths and took the steam out of the Aussie attack. That six over long-on off Brett Lee will be remembered by fans for a long, long time.

36* vs Pakistan – 2011 ODI in Mohali

Again, in the semi-final of the 2011 World Cup as well, Raina played a crucial hand for the Indian team. The hosts were in a tricky position batting first when Tendulkar got out for 85 with the score being 187/5 in 37 overs. Raina came out to the crease then and India needed him to stay till the end and provide a flourish in order to finish with a fighting total. And that’s exactly what he did. He batted with the tail and remained not-out on 36 off 39 to help India get to 260/9. Pakistan eventually got bowled-out for 231 and the difference between the two teams was 29 runs. Had it not been for Raina’s innings, the outcome of the match could have been very different.

83 vs England – 2013 ODI in Dharamshala

This knock came in a losing cause but it saw Raina at his fluent best. England played a five-match ODI series in India in 2013, with the hosts emerging victorious 3-2. Heading into the final game, India had already bagged the series but England were determined to head back home with a win. Asked to bat first, the Indian innings struggled for momentum throughout. The only positive for them was Raina, who fought a lone battle to help his team get to 226. The left-hander hit eight fours and two sixes in his 98-ball 83 but didn’t get much support from the others. England, on the back of an Ian Bell century, chased down the total with seven wickets to spare.

100 vs England – 2014 ODI in Cardiff

Having lost the preceding Test series 3-1, India headed into the five-match ODI series in search of a morale boost. The first game was abandoned due to rain and the action then shifted to Cardiff. India batted first and weren’t in the strongest position when Raina walked out to the crease at 110/3. Ajinkya Rahane perished soon after and India were left with Raina and Dhoni at the crease. And the duo ended up doing what they often did – provide India with a match-winning partnership. While Dhoni finished with 52 off 51, the star of the show was Raina who hit a sublime century to power India to 304/6. His 100 came in just 75 deliveries, with 12 fours and three sixes, and helped India win the match by 133 runs (D/L method). The visitors got the push they needed and went on to win the series 3-1.

110* vs Zimbabwe – 2015 ODI in Auckland

In their first five matches of the 2015 World Cup, India registered comfortable victories against Pakistan, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, West Indies and Ireland. They had already qualified for the quarter-final, but they were in for a stern test in their last group game. Opting to field first, India found themselves in a spot of bother at the halfway stage as Brendan Taylor guided his team to 287 with a magnificent century. India’s chase was in all sorts of trouble as Kohli departed with the team’s score being 92/4 in 22.4 overs. But, yet again, it was Raina and Dhoni who bailed India out of trouble. The duo showed no sign of feeling any pressure and put on an unbeaten partnership of 196 runs for the fifth wicket to take their team home. Dhoni remained not-out on 85 off 76, while Raina was at the other end on 110 off 104.

49* vs Australia – 2016 T20I in Sydney

India toured Australia in 2016 to play five ODIs and three T20Is. The 50-over series was won by Australia 4-1, but India bounced back to bag the T20I series after winning the first two games. The action then shifted to Sydney for the final match of the tour, with the hosts in search of a consolation win and the visitors keen on heading back home on a positive note. Australia won the toss, batted first and got to a solid total of 197 thanks to stunning, unbeaten 71-ball 124 by opener Shane Watson. India started strongly in reply, with the top three – Rohit Sharma (52), Shikhar Dhawan (26), and Kohli (50) – all making contributions. But when Kohli departed in the 15th over, India were 147/3 and still needed 51 runs to win off 31 balls. Any hope that Australia might have had at that stage were quickly crushed by Raina who hit a flurry of boundaries. With Yuvraj remaining not-out on 15 off 12, Raina powered India to victory in what was a last-ball thriller. He hit six fours and a six and got the winning runs to walk back unbeaten on 49 runs off just 25 deliveries.