Suresh Raina’s “I’m Also Brahmin” remark sparks backlash on Twitter

Raina, who is part of the Chennai Super Kings franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) was invited to join the commentary during the opening game of the fifth season of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL)

Chennai: Former India cricketer Suresh Raina has found himself in controversy after he stated that he embraces the culture in Chennai as he is “also Brahmin”.

Raina, who is part of the Chennai Super Kings franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) was invited to join the commentary during the opening game of the fifth season of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). The 34-year-old was then asked by the commentator about his connection with Chennai and how he has embraced the culture.

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In reply, Suresh Raina said: “I think, I am also Brahmin. I have been playing since 2004 in Chennai, I love the culture… I love my teammates. I have played with Anirudha Srikanth, Badri (Subramaniam Badrinath), Bala Bhai (L Balaji)… I think you need to learn something good from there. We have a good administration, we have the license to explore ourselves. I love the culture there, and I’m lucky to be part of CSK. Hopefully, we will play more matches there.”

Fans aren’t too happy with Raina’s comment and they have taken to social media to make their displeasure known.

The left-handed batsman announced his retirement from international cricket last year on August 15. He has been an integral part of the Chennai-based franchise in the IPL over the years as he is the third-highest run-scorer in the league.

Three times IPL winner, Raina has represented India in 18 Tests, 226 ODIs, and 78 T20Is. He was also the first Indian to score a century across all three formats in international cricket.