"Virat deserves a trophy" - Suresh Raina on RCB's IPL title drought ahead of 2024 season

Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Suresh Raina feels Virat Kohli deserved to win an IPL trophy for his incredible feats in international cricket and IPL.

With the 2024 IPL season less than a month away, Kohli is still searching for a maiden IPL title after 16 years with the RCB franchise.

The side finished sixth last year and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019 despite Kohli's outstanding batting displays. The champion cricketer was the fourth leading run-scorer with 639 runs at an average of 53.25 and a strike rate of 139.82.

Speaking to the Times of India on RCB's title drought, Raina sympathized with Kohli and felt the legendary batter deserved to break through eventually.

"Virat deserves a trophy. He has done so well for the Indian team and RCB for years. He has had a lot of success at RCB and his fans deserve to hold a trophy for him," said Raina.

Kohli is also the all-time leading run-scorer in IPL history with 7,263 runs in 237 matches at an average of over 37, including seven centuries and 50 half-centuries. The 35-year-old still holds the single-season record for most runs (973), coming in 2016. RCB qualified for the IPL on three occasions in 2009, 2011, and 2016.

"Have no idea about this" - Suresh Raina on IPL 2024 being MS Dhoni's final season

Dhoni will be gunning for a record sixth IPL title as captain in the 2024 season.

Suresh Raina admitted to being unsure whether the upcoming IPL season would be MS Dhoni's farewell but added that the CSK skipper still looks supremely fit.

During the off-season, the 42-year-old underwent knee surgery after leading CSK to a record-equalling fifth IPL title last year. Dhoni also became the first captain to lead a single franchise (CSK) in 200 IPL games in the 2023 season.

Raina, who played under MS Dhoni's captaincy for CSK from 2008 to 2015 and again from 2018 to 2021, said:

"I have no idea about this. But he is working really hard. He is looking really fit. This is up to him. He will be in a yellow jersey and entertain the fans. Fans just love him. He will do really well I am sure. He has given a lot to cricket."

Dhoni is the only captain with over 100 IPL wins (133) and has led CSK to three titles over the last six seasons. He is also the seventh leading run-scorer in IPL history with 5,082 runs at an average of 38.79 with 24 half-centuries to his name.