IPL Mega Auction 2022: Suresh Raina goes unsold on Day 1

Former India all-rounder Suresh Raina went unsold on Day 1 of IPL Mega Auction 2022. He became the second player after South Africa's David Miller to go unsold at the auction which is being held in Bengaluru. 
 
Raina, whose base price was set at Rs 2 crore, did not find any buyers in the first bidding round. Along with him, Australian Test Vice-Captain Steve Smith also went unsold. 
 
The latter's base price was also set at Rs 2 crore. All the unsold players are eligible to be bought back in the accelerated round of IPL 2022 auction on Sunday (February 13).

Also Read: IPL Mega Auction 2022: Shreyas Iyer, David Warner, all marquee players sold; see list
 
Raina, who retired from international cricket in 2020, played for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) since the IPL's opening edition (except 2016 and 2017 editions when the franchise was banned). 
 
The World Cup-winning left-hand batter had steered the now-defunct Gujarat Lions side during the two seasons before returning to the Chennai franchise. 

Also Read: IPL Mega Auction 2022: Check out full list of sold players, unsold players so far
 
Fondly known as Chinna Thala in Chennai, Raina had been an integral part of CSK's victorious campaigns in the past.
 
He has scored 5,528 runs in 204 matches in IPL so far. Raina is ranked at fourth position on the list of leading run-scorers in IPL, only behind Virat Kohli (6,283), Shikhar Dhawan (5784) and Rohit Sharma (5611).

Also Read: IPL 2020: CSK's Suresh Raina returns to India due to 'personal reasons'