Lockdown affected India’s fielding level a bit: Raina

Ahmedabad: Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni, one of India’s most successful captain, shared a superb bonding throughout their playing career. Incidentally, both announced their international retirement on the same day — August 15 last year, much to the surprise of their fans.

“I treat Dhoni as my elder brother,’’ said a smiling Raina, who was in the city to attend a cricket function on Monday.

Raina feels that India will perform well in the pink-ball Test, the third of the series currently underway, against England at the newly-built Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium at Motera.

“Of course we have the likes of Jaspreet Bumrah in our ranks. If only Mohammed Shami, Ravindra Jadeja and K L Rahul could be available for the upcoming challenge, we will have a formidable unit,’’ said the 34-year-old, when asked if the visiting side would come all guns blazing after having rested James Anderson, considered to be a master of swing.

Raina, considered to be one of India’s best fielders ever, thinks that the Indian fielding standard has started to pick up after a somewhat sloppy fielding at the beginning of the tour Down Under in December last year.

“I think it was the effect of the lockdown,’’ said Raina.

“I think Virat Kohli is a role model for youngters as far as fitness is concerned,’’ said Raina, when asked as how fit were the current India players.