'Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Is Special': Sikandar Raza Backs Teen Sensation for Greatness

Team India take on Zimbabwe in a three-match T20I series as they eye their maiden series win under Shreyas Iyer's captaincy. Speaking on JioStar, Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza shared his expectations for the series, discussed the talented teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and India's fearless batting approach in the format.

"We have a long-term plan and a long-term vision that we will carry forward to prepare everyone for the next T20 World Cup. As far as winning and losing are concerned, I think both countries have an equal chance of winning the series. India is going through a transition, and to some extent, you'll see a bit of transition happening for Zimbabwe as well. So, I think both countries have an equal chance in the series. But one thing I am very sure of is that, because Zimbabwe has been playing very consistent and entertaining cricket, the series will definitely be very entertaining. I don't see it being a one-sided series."

"Vaibhav is a supremely talented cricketer. If a 15-year-old kid is playing international cricket, criticising him after just two or three matches isn't justified. I think Vaibhav has a lot of very good senior cricketers around him. If he is managed and handled well, I think Vaibhav could be a generational talent. To see what he has done over the last year, what he has done for India Under-19, and the fact that he made his international debut at the same age, these are no small feats by any means. You don't get to hear such stories nowadays. Vaibhav is special. It will be important how he is managed and handled."

"India play a very aggressive brand of cricket, and they take the game away from you. As far as their batting line-up is concerned, if it clicks on the day, they'll bat you out of the game. But with high-risk cricket, sometimes it doesn't come off, and when that happens and the total isn't as big, the other team does have a chance. So, when you play high-risk cricket, there are pros and cons to it. But I think the biggest challenge will be stopping their batters because of how quickly they score runs and can basically bat you out of the game."

"It's a relationship that Zimbabwe and India have shared over the years, and it keeps getting stronger. India has been a great friend to Zimbabwe cricket. From the players' point of view, it's about the growth of the players and the exposure they get from playing against the world champions, as India are. Personally, I always want to test myself against the world's best. So, there are a lot of things that both India and Zimbabwe, from the players' side and the board's side, can take away from this tour."

"India, being such a large country and a cricket-loving nation, has a system that has definitely helped some of these talented cricketers excel. Both things work hand in hand, India have a large pool of players and a strong structure. Every year, we see different cricketers come in from different states and do something special. The gap between countries is getting closer and closer because of continuous T20 cricket. The gap might be very big in Test cricket, and it might still be big in ODI cricket. But as far as T20 cricket is concerned, the gap is narrowing. It's such a volatile format that any country can challenge anybody."