\u201cIn 2008, when the IPL started, I remember the Wankhede Stadium wasn\u2019t like it is now, it was still the old stadium. We had a qualifier match against Punjab, and I hit a six off James Hopes that went outside the stadium.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cA few years later, about three or four years on, I went to get my hair cut. A girl approached me with a ball for me to sign. I didn\u2019t realise it was \u2018that\u2019 ball. She asked, \u2018Sir, do you know which ball this is?\u2019 I replied, \u2018It must be some normal cricket ball.\u2019 She said, \u2018Sir, you hit a six outside the Wankhede Stadium, it\u2019s that ball\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cShe told me she was outside the stadium when it happened, saw the ball come out, and kept it. I never imagined such fandom, and honestly, James Hopes should have been the one asking me for that ball\u2019s signature!\u201d said Raina in an episode of \u2018Cheeky Singles\u2019 show on JioHotstar.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He then went on to share a light-hearted in-flight prank played on him by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar during his early days with the Indian team. \u201cWe were once going to play a Test match when I was about 18 years old, and I was sitting in business class next to Sachin paaji. The air hostess came over and said, \u2018Good morning, Sachin sir. How are you?\u2019 and assuming I was Arjun Tendulkar, she said something to him about me in passing.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cSachin paaji saw a chance to have some fun. He replied, \u2018Yes, he\u2019s not studying at all, what to do? I\u2019ve even told Anjali (Tendulkar).\u2019 Later, we went to the section where the other players were sitting, and I blurted, \u2018Why are you making me sit in business class? You\u2019ve made me Arjun Tendulkar!\u2019 (Sachin) paaji eventually clarified it for the air hostess saying, \u2018He\u2019s a part of the Indian cricket team, he\u2019s Suresh Raina, not my son.\u2019 Paaji loved playing such big pranks sometimes.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Former India captain and legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble recounted moments of being mistaken for several cricketing greats. Many things have happened to me too. People have called me Javagal Srinath, that\u2019s fine. Some said Ravi Shastri, that\u2019s also fine. Kapil Dev, fine as well. Some even thought I was Azharuddin \u2014 that\u2019s okay. But in the US, people came up to me and said, 'You are Sunil Gavaskar.\u2019 That one was a bit much.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cSachin paaji saw a chance to have some fun. He replied, \u2018Yes, he\u2019s not studying at all, what to do? I\u2019ve even told Anjali (Tendulkar).\u2019 Later, we went to the section where the other players were sitting, and I blurted, \u2018Why are you making me sit in business class? You\u2019ve made me Arjun Tendulkar!\u2019 (Sachin) paaji eventually clarified it for the air hostess saying, \u2018He\u2019s a part of the Indian cricket team, he\u2019s Suresh Raina, not my son.\u2019 Paaji loved playing such big pranks sometimes.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI asked him, \u2018What are you doing tomorrow morning?\u2019 His enthusiasm dropped immediately. He asked, \u2018Why?\u2019 I replied, \u2018Our practice is at 9:30. Come in your whites and please show me how to improve my leg-spin bowling.\u2019 And just like that, he disappeared.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n