Watch: Suresh Raina looked iffy during his six-ball stay at the crease against Mumbai Indians, and was eventually dismissed off a mishit as the bottom of his bat broke in two.
The left-hander, walking in to bat at number five in just the third over of the CSK innings, had a torrid time out in the middle in the first match of the UAE-leg of the IPL. Up against Trent Boult, who had already taken a wicket, Raina looked in all sorts of trouble against the short ball. The only four in his innings was off a thick outside edge after the batsman got into an awkward position, which prompted commentator Kevin Pietersen to exclaim, “You are better than this Raina.”
He could not survive much longer as a full and swinging delivery marked his end. Anticipating a short ball, Raina tried to make room, only to miscue it to point but not before his bat was broken into two pieces.
With Ambati Rayudu retired hurt after a short ball hit his elbow, the onus was on Raina to take his team to safety after a disastrous start. CSK slipped to 24-4 before Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo lent some respectability as the team ended on 156-6.
