Former India cricketer Suresh Raina highly praised Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy for scripting India’s thrilling four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the second T20I at Hagley Oval, Christchurch.
Chasing 181, the visitors collapsed to a precarious 70/5 and later 112/6. Needing 68 runs from the last five overs, Tilak (51* off 26 balls) and Nitish (26* off 13 balls) exhibited extraordinary composure, executing an unbroken 69-run partnership off just 30 balls to take India over the line with a delivery to spare.
Speaking to ANI, Raina explicitly likened Tilak’s nerves of steel to India's legendary duo of Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni.
"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 said.
He also commended Nitish’s positive approach in dealing with high-pressure death overs, and welcomed veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar's return to the T20I setup.
"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.
During the interaction, Suresh Raina praised Shreyas Iyer's T20 captaincy, highlighting his fresh leadership style and ability to build a unique legacy in the format.
"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," Raina remarked.
Shreyas has a strong track record as an Indian Premier League (IPL) captain, having led three different franchises—Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Punjab Kings—to the tournament finals. He guided KKR to their third IPL title in 2024.
Shreyas Iyer took over India’s T20I captaincy after Suryakumar Yadav, who led India to the T20 World Cup 2026 title earlier in the year, was sacked from the position due to his prolonged poor batting form.
