5 players who debuted with Suresh Raina – Where are they now?

Published - 23 Oct 2025, 16:55 IST | Updated - 23 Oct 2025, 17:07 IST

The stylish left-handed batter Suresh Raina is remembered for his elegant inside-out shots and aggressive batting style. An attacking player with a flair for big hits, Raina was also an electric fielder in the circle. While he shone in limited-overs cricket, his Test career was comparatively modest.

Raina scored a century on Test debut but truly made his mark in ODIs and T20Is. He is fondly known as ‘Mr. IPL’, and dominated the Indian Premier League (IPL) with his aggressive and stylish gameplay. In international cricket, he scored 768 runs in 31 Test innings, 5,615 runs in 194 ODIs, and 1,605 runs in 66 T20Is. In the IPL, Raina played 205 matches, scoring 5,528 runs, and held the title of the league’s highest run-scorer for several years.

When he made his ODI debut in 2005, a new generation of Indian cricketers also entered the scene. Here, let us take a look at five players who debuted alongside Raina and where they are now.

The top-order batter Robin Uthappa made his ODI debut for India in 2006 against England. A hard-hitting batter with an array of shots, Uthappa first impressed during the 2005 Challenger Trophy. He was part of India’s squad for the 2007 T20 World Cup but could not make a significant impact. However, he is remembered for his crucial hit at the stumps in the Bowl Out against Pakistan.

He shone in domestic cricket and the IPL, particularly during the 2013 and 2014 seasons. In international cricket, Uthappa played 42 ODI innings, scoring 934 runs, and 12 T20I innings for 249 runs. In the IPL, he featured in 197 matches across six franchises, amassing 4,952 runs. He is currently an expert commentator and also runs a YouTube channel, sharing his honest opinions and analysis on games.