Former Indian international praised Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy for their heroics during India’s thrilling chase in the second T20I against New Zealand.
Raina drew comparisons between Varma’s technique and that of Indian icons Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni, pointing out that the youngster displays the “same quality” as the iconic duo.
Requiring 68 runs from the last 30 deliveries to overhaul a target of 181, Varma and Reddy sealed victory with a ball to spare. The 68-run partnership surpassed India’s previous record of 60 runs achieved during the death overs against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the 2022 T20 World Cup, where ‘s legendary 82 not out secured the win.
The result handed India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the five-match series, ahead of the third fixture in Wellington on October 27.
“No, India are doing really well at the moment. Take Tilak Varma, for instance. When Yuvi Pa (Yuvraj Singh), Dhoni bhai (MS Dhoni) and I used to bat at No. 5, 6, 7 and 8, we had a certain passion, and I feel Tilak has that same quality. He is a player with a different mindset and has done exceptionally well. He is contributing with the ball too,” Raina told ANI.
“Nitish is also batting differently, and it is good to see that positive mindset. It was also nice to see Bhuvneshwar make a comeback as well,” he added.
Raina applauds Shreyas Iyer’s T20 captaincy
Raina also commended ‘s leadership, noting that his captaincy style brings a fresh perspective to the short format and wishing him success as he shapes his leadership legacy.
“Shreyas Iyer has done well, but the way the captaincy is being handled, I think I have seen a captain with this kind of approach in this format after many years. He is building a different legacy, and my best wishes are with him,” he concluded.
Iyer has established a strong reputation as a tactical leader in the Indian Premier League (IPL), having guided three distinct franchises, Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Punjab Kings, to the tournament final.