Cricketer Suresh Raina: Happy to welcome our son Rio but not the right time to celebrate

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Suresh Raina and wife Priyanka recently became parents for a second time

Suresh Raina has welcomed a new member in his family. The cricketer has become a father for the second time, as his wife Priyanka gave birth to their son Rio, on March 23, but says that given the current crisis, “this isn’t the time to celebrate”.

Cricketer Suresh Raina became father for the second time recently

The 33-year-old says, “We (his family) were worried with everything that has been happening around, more so as the due date was getting closer. Though my wife Priyanka and I’ve been extra cautious but things were getting worse every day. I must say that doctors in Delhi are doing an amazing job. They’ve been caring and patient towards all our queries. People are in a state of panic yet the way they’re keeping their cool, it’s commendable!”

Raina’s three-year-old daughter Grace was born in Holland, and his wife mostly lives there for she works in a bank. This time too, Priyanka was supposed to deliver her baby in Holland, but plans changed after the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Those who’re expecting a child and are worried how they’ll manage, let me tell you, please stay calm and cooperate. The authorities are doing a good job here,” he says, adding that to help more people, his wife might share her experience and possibly also some tips regarding how to take care during this time.

Raina, additionally, urges husbands to take extra care of their wives and shares some post-natal tips. “My wife needs to eat food, medicines etc on time. Given her condition, she needed back, legs and feet massages, but we can’t call for a masseuse now, so I’m doing all of that, besides taking care of Grace,” says the hands-on father and all-rounder of the Indian cricket team.

The family man is ensuring that only healthy food is being consumed in his house. “Right now I’m only thinking about the safety of everyone around me. We had been running faster, and our patience level had gone down. So let’s take this time to be compassionate, introspect and let’s all come out stronger,” says the cricketer who is also doing his bit for those in need, by helping the security guards, his househelps and their families with food, masks and sanitisers.

Raina is even making sure that the stray dogs in his society don’t go hungry during lockdown. “We can afford to survive, but what happens to these daily wagers or animals? We all have to come forward and help them. I don’t think talking about this or putting it [on social media] is required. Such things are the need of the hour, and we all must do them,” he says, calling the present situation a “challenging time for humankind”.

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