Suresh Raina, aka Chinna Thala and Mr IPL, had a heart to heart talk with Ranveer Allahbadia on The Ranveer Show Podcast.
Raina revealed many interesting unknown and unheard facts about his life candidly with Ranveer on the podcast. The whole conservation seems like a talk between two friends reminiscing about things from the past.
The video began with a few clips of Raina’s frank response to Ranveer’s questions. Then Ranveer talked to the viewers about how he learned a lot about life from the cricketing world before sharing the podcast.
Here’s what transpired in The Ranveer Show with Raina:
Initially, Ranveer stated that this wouldn’t be like an interview, and he wanted to hear the answers straight from Raina’s heart. Those who watch The Ranveer Show might already know that Ranveer’s podcast is filled with fun elements and emotional bits, and Raina also pointed out the same.
What all did Ranveer ask Raina in the podcast?
Ranveer: What was the happiest and most difficult phase of your cricketing career?
Raina: I did not know if I would get to represent India at the international level. A cricketer had to score many runs in domestic cricket to be considered a part of the Indian national setup. For doing better in domestic cricket, aspiring young guys used to take coaching worth around ₹10,000 per month. However, my father used to earn only that much, so it was not a feasible option for me. I also kept a tab on my studies and completed my graduation from Guru Gobind Sports College in Lucknow.
(Ranveer discusses his first memory of Raina. He saw Raina for the first time on the Star network while being interviewed as a young domestic cricketer.)
Ranveer: Do you remember why you got emotional in your first interview?
Raina: They were interviewing many young prospects from all over India. Upon seeing those young cricketers telling their dreams and hopes, I got emotional about my journey as an aspiring cricketer.
Ranveer: What has changed with Suresh Raina since then?
Raina: Nothing much. Still the same. I have gotten a bit mature and tried to be a good father and family man. I still have a lot left to achieve as a person.
(Clips of Brett Lee and Glenn Mcgrath on The Ranveer show are shown, and Ranveer says that he is going to ask a similar question that he asked the two of them)
Ranveer: How the meaning of aggression changes for a cricketer with his progress? Do cricketers become calmer with age, or does the aggression remain the same?
Raina: Of course, the on-field aggression changes, but it does not mean a player’s intensity dies down. When you start as a cricketer, you have a lot of built-up aggression that you need to the layout. For me, I used that as a driving force and worked harder for pursuing my dreams. As time passed, my responsibilities increased since I became a father. I try to set an example through my play for my kids. So yeah, aggression changes over time, but that will to do good for the team should remain the same.
Ranveer: What do you think is more important, luck or hard work and focus?
Raina: For me, luck is a significant factor. Everyone works hard and achieves the focus, but one needs to have the luck to get selected to play for India. Everybody wants to be the next Sachin Tendulkar or Virat Kohli, but only the lucky ones make it that big. I was also blessed with luck cause I was one of those batters who went for the big shots from ball one. So, I needed that fortune to survive in the middle. I also had many injuries, but I was lucky that my family supported me in those tough times.
Ranveer: What are your learning from life? Is there something you want to share?
Raina: I have learned that there is nothing permanent in life. Anything can happen anytime, so you have to cherish what you have and live the way you want. For instance, in the pandemic, many things changed. I lost my father, so there is always uncertainty in life. That’s what I have learned from life.
Ranveer: How do fame and money change a person, especially a cricketer?
Raina: I don’t know. My father used to handle all the financial aspects of my life.
Ranveer: No, not just you particularly. What have you observed about money and fame’s effect on cricketers?
Raina: There is an automatic change in life. With money, you save a lot of time, and you have to find ways to utilise that time. People think that he is a cricketer; he easily gets a lot of money, but they don’t know the hard work behind it. Nowadays, it has become so easy to criticise someone without even knowing anything on social media.
Ranveer: Honestly, I feel pretty intense talking to you.
Raina: I guess it’s a compliment for me (laughs). I like your way of conducting the podcast. It feels more like sitting with a friend and talking casually about stuff and life.
Ranveer: I feel very nice talking to you. I feel like I have achieved something if I am able to sit here and talk with you. However, I still feel I haven’t still broken the ice with you. Well, moving on, what does a player discuss with his coach and what happens in the dressing room?
Raina: The coach’s work is to coach you. He will give you advice, but in the end, you are the one who is going to have to implement the gameplay.
Ranveer: How do you work on mental strength?
Raina: I am a desi fellow. I have seen a lot in my cricketing journey as a player hailing from UP. I already had the mental strength, to begin with.
Ranveer: I remember your series against Hongkong. It’s where you clicked as a batter. So how does that happen?
Raina: Actually, it was the Asia cup in Pakistan, and I was batting well. We just won the T20 World Cup, and I performed well in IPL. So, I had the form; to begin with, it was just about the implementation. I scored a few hundred and made my debut. We defeated Sri Lanka, and the whole team was united to win the next World Cup for Sachin paaji. That team was built different, everyone had unique skills, and our roles were clear.
Ranveer: Was that the favourite phase of your career?
Raina: Yeah, it was very nice. We won the World Cup, and my career also took off. I had a nice stint in the following years for India. So, it was a good experience.
(A bit of discussion about money management and Raina sharing that he used to play basketball before cricket.)
Ranveer: Does money distracts players?
Raina: It’s different for everyone. Some players want something lavish while some need to spend on basic facilities. Our team set-up was very cool. Sachin, Veeru paaji and Rahul Dravid used to talk about these things. Veeru paaji advised me to buy a house first before spending on unnecessary stuff like cars and all.
(Raina shares that he has written a book called Believe: What Life and Cricket Taught Me. He tells Ranveer that he has written about the struggles and everything else that a young aspiring cricketer has to face in his career.)
Ranveer: What used to go through your mind when you were in the zone in a game?
Raina: Nothing, just see the ball and hit it. Analysis and all that used to happen after the match about what could I have done better. But while playing, it was all about executing what I thought was the best.
(A discussion on the mental health of cricketers and, in particular, Marcus Trescothick and Glenn Maxwell ensues on The Ranveer Show.)
Raina: You need to talk about what’s going through your life, and your family and close friend will listen to you. It is the best way to counter mental stress.
To learn more about what Suresh Raina shared on The Ranveer Show, watch the video below:
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