IPL 2021: Dale Steyn says Suresh Raina 'looked like a schoolboy cricketer' against MI

The second phase of IPL 2021 began on an unsavoury note for Suresh Raina as he was dismissed awkwardly during Chennai Super Kings's match against arch-rivals Mumbai Indians at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. Meanwhile, former South African pacer Dale Steyn did not like how Raina was dismissed and went on to say that the southpaw looked like a 'schoolboy cricketer'.

"Milne (Adam) and Boult (Trent) definitely started really well. Boult especially to Raina. He ran in, they set that field, an aggressive leg-side field and you can see immediately Raina just thought he didn't want anything of it. He looked like a schoolboy cricketer at a point there. I was like I couldn't believe this was an international player doing what he was doing and almost embarrassingly his bat broke and got out", said Dale Steyn while speaking on ESPNcricinfo T20 Time:Out.

"Had that gone for a six I would maybe I wouldn't have said these what I have just said right now", he added.

CSK vs MI: Suresh Raina's unfortunate dismissal

On the final delivery of the third over, New Zealand speedster Trent Boult bowled a length ball as 'Chinna Thala' attempted to hit him into the stands. However, he could not time it well as the ball made contact with the bottom of the blade, and while the bat was broken, Raina's stay at the crease also came to an abrupt end as the ball went straight into the hands of Rahul Chahar who was stationed at the point. The veteran batsman walked back with just four runs to his name.

CSK vs MI result

Coming back to the contest, the Chennai Super Kings were in a spot of bother after being reduced to 24/4 in the Powerplay overs before Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja's 81-run stand for the fifth-wicket resurrected CSK's innings. Gaikwad successfully anchored the innings and found support in Dwayne Bravo, who contributed with an 8-ball 23. The opening batsman remained unbeaten on a 58-ball 88 as the former champions posted a respectable total of 156/6 from their 50 overs.

The defending champions lost wickets at regular intervals, but senior batsman Saurabh Tiwari tried his best to keep MI in the hunt. He batted right till the end and remained unbeaten on a 40-ball 50 but received no support from the other end as the title-holders were restricted to 136/8 from their 20 overs. By this win, the three-time winners registered a 20-run win and now occupy the top spot in the IPL 2021 points table, with six wins from eight matches and 12 points to their tally.

Image: AP/IPLT20.COM