Suresh Raina got the opportunity to play a test match after a long gap and guess what he did? The first ball that he faced, he was dismissed. Yes, the classical left hander bagged a golden duck.
Raina could not have hoped for a better wicket to bat on in his comeback game. The pitch at the Sydney Cricket Ground was a complete highway. The ball was not moving an inch when he arrived to the scene.
He could easily have scored some runs there on that track and who knows a good knock might have helped him seal his place in the team for the home tests coming up later this year.
But, it was not to be. On a harmless delivery which was just going away from the off stump with the angle, Raina went for the drive.
His feet were not there. He was perhaps expecting a bouncer. Or maybe, he had no idea about the pace of the wicket. So, he was a little hesitated to go forward. Whatever the case it might have been, the result was a soft dismissal; a dismissal which would continue to hurt Raina for long, long time unless he gets to bat in the second innings and scores a big one.
Raina has always talked about his dream of becoming a successful test player for India. And, many people reckon that he has actually had it in him to be consistent in the longest and the most pure form of the game, but, whenever he gets a chance in the whites, he somehow finds a way to waste it.
Raina might not be required to bat again in Sydney and if that’s the case, this one dismissal might cause his exclusion from the test team. His fans would obviously hope otherwise, but, that seems likely now.
The Sydney test is moving very quickly towards a draw.