Varma and Reddy’s unbeaten 69-run partnership off 30 balls helped India script a record chase in the final five overs of a T20I during the second match against New Zealand in Christchurch on Saturday.
He drew parallels between Varma’s approach and that of former India greats Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni, who batted in the middle order, saying the young batter possesses the “same quality” as the duo. Former India cricketer Suresh Raina praised Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy for their performances in India’s thrilling chase in the second T20I against New Zealand, highlighting Varma’s prowess in the middle order. He also welcomed Reddy’s positive approach and lauded Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s comeback.
Suresh Raina praised the India star after the team’s thrilling chase in the second T20I against New Zealand.
India needed 68 runs from the final five overs to chase down a target of 181, with Tilak and Nitish combining to take the team to victory with one ball to spare. The 68 runs scored in the final five overs marked India’s highest successful chase during that phase of a T20I, surpassing their previous best of 60 runs against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) during the 2022 T20 World Cup. In that memorable World Cup encounter, Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 82 guided India to victory. The win gave India a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series. The third match is scheduled to be played in Wellington on October 27. 5, 6, 7 and 8, we had a certain passion, and I feel Tilak has that same quality. His biggest achievement came in 2024, when he guided KKR to their third IPL title. He continued his impressive run as captain in 2025, leading Punjab Kings to the final.
He is contributing with the ball too,” Raina told ANI. “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. He is a player with a different mindset and has done exceptionally well. “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 added. Shreyas Iyer has established himself as a successful captain in the Indian Premier League (IPL), having led three franchises – Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings – to finals.
