Zimbabwean captain Sikandar Raza has supported young talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to be seen as a “natural talent”, urging people not to judge the 15-year-old after causing problems in his international career. Sooryavanshi endured a tough T20I series in England, scoring 14, 13 and 15 in three appearances as India went down 0-4. The young opener struggled again Jofra Archer‘Short ball, falling to the England pacer twice in the series. Despite his slight setback, Raza believes that the youngster has the potential to become one of the brightest stars if his development is managed carefully. “Vaibhav he is a very talented cricketer. “If a 15-year-old is playing international cricket, criticizing him after two or three matches is not appropriate,” Raza said on JioStar. “I think Vaibhav has a lot of athleticism. The Indian opener now returns to Harare, a place he remembers fondly after his 175 off 80 balls against England in the Under-19 World Cup in January helped India lift the title. I am Sanju Samson unavailable for the Zimbabwe tour, Sooryavanshi is expected to get another chance at the top of the order when the three-match T20I series begins on Thursday. Raza said that the youngster’s rise at such a young age is amazing and stressed the importance of developing his skills. “To see what he has done in the last year, what he has done in India Under-19, and the fact that he has played internationally at the same age, this is not a small feat by any means. “You don’t hear such stories these days. Vaibhav is unique. It will be important how he manages and is handled,” he added. Looking ahead to the series, Raza dismissed suggestions that India would start as heavy favorites despite Zimbabwe facing world T20 champions. “Both countries will have an equal chance in this match. But one thing I am sure of is that Zimbabwe has been playing consistent and very entertaining cricket, I can say this with certainty that the match will be very entertaining,” Raza told Star Sports. Zimbabwe go into the tournament with confidence after a string of good results, including a memorable 23-run win over Australia at the ICC T20 World Cup in Colombo in February, a result that was instrumental in Australia’s surprise exit from the group. They also registered wins in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh this year. “In terms of winning or losing, both countries have an equal chance of winning this tournament,” said Raza, who has represented Zimbabwe in 136 T20Is. The insider acknowledged India’s strategy of fighting fearlessly, saying that it can overwhelm the enemy or leave the door open if things don’t go according to plan. “In terms of their batting line-up, if it hits on the day, they’ll take you out of the game. But it’s very dangerous cricket, sometimes it doesn’t come out, and when that happens and the score isn’t big, the other team has a chance.” Raza noted that both teams are making changes, which makes the competition more even than many expected. “Yes, India is going through a transition and until you see that Zimbabwe will also have a little change. I don’t see it as a one-sided series,” he said. He also praised the relationship between the two cricketing nations and the importance of facing one of the world’s leading teams. “India has been a great friend of Zimbabwean cricket. From the players’ point of view, it is the growth of the players and the exposure they get by playing against the world champions, like India.” The remaining two matches of the tournament will be played in Harare on July 25 and 26.