"I see him similar to how Shikhar Dhawan plays" - Tino Mawoyo on Sikandar Raza’s importance to the team ahead of IND vs ZIM 2022 series

Former Zimbabwe batter Tino Mawoyo reckons that Sikandar Raza plays a similar role for his team to what veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan does for India. Mawoyo stated that it’s crucial to have someone to bat through the innings in ODIs, adding that both Dhawan and Raza excel in that role.

Raza was the leading run-getter for Zimbabwe in the home series against Bangladesh in both the ODIs and the T20Is. He scored 252 runs in the three-match ODI series and 127 runs in three T20I games.

In an exclusive interview facilitated by SONY, former Zimbabwe cricketer Mawoyo told Sportskeeda’s Prasen Moudgal that Raza would be crucial to the team’s chances in the three-match ODI series against India.

Comparing Raza to Dhawan, he said:

“I look at the Indian team now and I see him similar to how Shikhar Dhawan plays. It’s important to have somebody who bats through the innings, so people can score around you.”

Mawoyo added that senior players like Raza have a massive role to play in guiding the next generation of Zimbabwe batters. He stated:

“Zimbabwe cricket is taking a lot more youngsters and trying to blood them into the national side. It’s of huge importance that the senior players lead the way for the younger guys and show them the way to go."

Praising Raza, he pointed out that the 36-year-old has done a great job of mentoring youngsters in recent series’. He elaborated:

“It is not about his own performance, but the manner in which he has guided Regis Chakabva and Innocent Kaia, when he batted with them, for them to get to a hundred. I have no doubt in my mind that he was telling them what to do. I take my hat off to him. I think he’s somebody who has molded himself into the ideal player for Zimbabwe.”

Mawoyo stated that Zimbabwe need a few more players like Raza to be more consistent in the batting department. He explained:

“If we can find two or three senior players who can do that intermittently between the two of them, and the youngsters bat around them, then we can start to score some good totals consistently.”

Raza added 192 with Innocent Kaia in the first ODI against Bangladesh and 201 with Regis Chakabva in the second match of the same series.

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“He’s a quality player” - Shikhar Dhawan on Sikandar Raza

Earlier, Team India opener Dhawan also praised Raza, describing him as a quality player. At a press conference ahead of the series, he said:

“Sikandar is a very good player. He has been playing for Zimbabwe for a long time. He’s a quality player and I am sure our bowlers are going to come up with nice plans.”

The India-Zimbabwe series will begin on Thursday (August 18). All three ODIs will be played at the Harare Sports Club.