It’s been six years since former Indian star Suresh Raina retired from top-flight cricket. The 40-year-old not only enjoyed a glorious career for India but also for Chennai Super Kingswhere he played from 2008 till his final season in 2021. Raina has opened up about the possibility of joining his former side as a coach.

The five-time champions have appointed Zaheer Khan as the head coach, while former seamer Mohit Sharma is the bowling coach. CEO Kasi Viswanathan said that the side will be going into the new season without a batting coach. During his chat with SportStar, Viswanathan said that they might ask assistant coach Gareth Batty to take care of the batting department.

Meanwhile, Raina is ready to work with CSK. “I would love to work in any capacity with CSK. As long as I am with the boys and they are winning titles, that’s all that matters, because yellow is everything. We have played our part, and also won trophies. Now the franchise needs to see how we can contribute, and I have played for them since the first day, so if they feel I am capable, then I am ready to work with the team,” Raina said.

“I have played international cricket, World Cups, and IPL, and have seen all aspects of the game. I also know about the pressures of playing in big finals, and have learned how to handle pressure and get the best out of yourself mentally. I also know what I have achieved in the IPL, so I want to give it back to the players.”

Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team hasn’t won the league since 2023 and failed to reach the playoffs. The Men in Yellow finished eighth in the 2026 season after suffering a horrid start to the campaign.

Suresh Raina’s IPL numbers

The southpaw played 205 games for CSK, scoring 5528 runs at an average of 32 and a strike rate of 136. Suresh hit one century, 39 fifties, 506 boundaries and 203 sixes. He played a key role in the 2010 and 2011 title wins with 520 and 438 runs respectively.

He played for Gujarat Lions during the two seasons when Chennai was suspended. On his return to the side, theUttar Pradesh star posted 445 runs in the 2018 season to help his team win their third title.