Dhoni's backing brought the best out of me: Raina

NAGPUR: Suresh Raina has been a big impact player for Chennai Super Kings. And he has been as responsible as he has been brilliant. With a tally of 463 runs from 15 matches at a strike rate of 140.72, the 23-year old left-hander is the fourth highest run-getter in this IPL. A trusted aide of his captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Raina is also a livewire in the field for which he won the IPL award for the Best Fielder .On the eve of the big final on Sunday, Raina shared his thoughts in an exclusive interview with ToI. Excerpts:
A big final is waiting. Your feelings?
This is a great opportunity for us. This will be our second IPL final in three years. We tripped in the first edition. This is a great opportunity for us. We are all eager and excited. We will have to play really well if we are to win our first IPL title.
You have been batting brilliantly. What's your game plan like when you walk out to bat?
God has been kind to me. I have been hitting the ball well after having a good season. The confidence comes from the faith my skipper (Mahendra) Dhoni has in me. He has given me the freedom and authority to play my own game. All he says is play your game and keep it simple. That trust, that backing has brought out the best in me.
When I walk in to bat, I asses the situation and play accordingly. Like anyone else, I am also a huge admirer of Sachin Tendulkar and try to learn from him. That is one big reason why I stick to playing proper cricketing shots. One has to understand that its just not possible to smash every ball out of the park. You can score runs at a good rate playing normal cricketing shots which is what I try to do.
You have been fairly consistent and have been playing the big shots with great confidence. What is the key to that?
A positive attitude and a clear mind! When you spend time with quality players like Matthew Hayden and Mike Hussey it adds to your wisdom. It is a great learning curve. I have had the good fortune of receiving the full support of all the senior players.
In T20 cricket, your shot-selection has to be precise. You cannot afford to be double-minded. The clarity of thought is important. I bat at number three and that is a very crucial position. I make sure that my body language is good and I like to dominate the bowling with controlled aggression. As a senior pro, my job is to stay there till the end and win matches for my team. That is what the aim is and that is what I try to do to the best of my ability.
You also have an overwhelming presence in the field for which you deservedly won the IPL award for the Best Fielder. What makes you special in the field?
Fielding is a very important aspect of the game. A run saved is a run scored. It is all the more important in T20 where good fielding and catching can make a huge difference. To be a good fielder you got to be swift and agile. You also got to have a good presence of mind if you are fielding in the deep. Again one has to enjoy fielding if you really want to excel in this department. I was lucky to have Robin Singh as my coach when I went to England as a 17-year old and he helped me to take my fielding seriously. He told me that fielding is as important as batting or bowling. Even if you fail with the bat and ball, you can still contribute with a good work in the field. It can also serve as grace marks when there is a tie between two equally good batsmen.