Suresh Raina says his main goal is now to enjoy playing cricket again.
The 33-year-old has not played international cricket for India since 2018 but hasn't given up hope of featuring again.
He is still keen to get another opportunity to represent India but admits he hasn't enjoying playing the game in recent seasons.
“Definitely, I feel I still have it,” he told The Super Over Podcast.
“Somehow, I feel I can still play but at the same time, I want to enjoy my cricket. I haven't enjoyed my cricket in the last couple of years.
“I just want to go out there and smile on the field and enjoy my batting and fielding. That's what I'm searching for in my mind when I go the ground and come back, I want to be happy. I just want to try one more time and see how it goes.”
Praise for Rohit Sharma
Meanwhile, Raina is full of praise for India vice-captain Rohit Sharma.
The leadership qualities of Sharma make him “the next MS Dhoni” for India, according to Raina.
Raina, who won the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy under Dhoni, has highlighted Rohit’s similarities.
“I would say he is the next MS Dhoni for the Indian cricket team.
“I have seen him, he is calm, he likes to listen. He likes to give confidence to the players and on top of that, he likes to lead from the front. When a captain leads from the front and, at the same time, he gives respect to the dressing-room atmosphere, you know you have it all.
“He thinks everyone is a captain. I have seen him, I have played under him when we won the Asia Cup in Bangladesh. I have seen how he gives confidence to young players like Shardul [Thakur], Washington Sundar and [Yuzvendra] Chahal.”
Sharma has an ‘aura’ about him
Sharma has won the IPL four times when leading Mumbai Indians. He has also skippered the India team in the absence of regular captain Virat Kohli.
It is his ability to bring more out of the players around him that impresses Raina most.
He added: “Around him, players enjoy the intensity, they enjoy his aura. When you enjoy the aura of a player, you like to be positive and I think that is what he is good at.
“MS Dhoni was brilliant. He (Rohit) has won more (IPL) trophies than MS, but they both are very similar. Both of them, as captains, like to listen. When your captain is listening, you can solve a lot of problems, you can solve the mental aspects of the players. So in my book, they both are wonderful.”
