Tilak Varma, India’s T20I vice-captain, has freely discussed embracing a positional change away from No. 3 and finding true joy in his new middle-order responsibilities. The 23-year-old, who rose to prominence in T20Is at No. 3, has only batted at that position once since India’s must-win Super 8 encounter against Zimbabwe at the 2026 T20 World Cup.
In his T20I career, Tilak Varma scored 651 runs at a strike rate of approximately 151 at No. 3, including two centuries. These hundreds came in November 2024, when he hit 107* at Centurion and 120* at Johannesburg against South Africa. Despite that record, India’s batting order was reshuffled after losing to South Africa in the 2026 T20 World Cup Super 8, and Tilak was pushed down for the game against Zimbabwe. He answered with 44* from 16 balls at No. 6, guiding India through a must-win scenario. Tilak was a member of India’s winning squad at the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Why has Tilak Varma accepted batting further down the order?
Tilak Varma has made it apparent that his ease with the positional adjustment stems from a team-first mentality instilled in him from a young age. He views the transfer not as a setback, but as a responsibility he is eager to accept.
Tilak Varma has accepted his new lower-ranking position. In fact, he sees it as an opportunity and derives genuine satisfaction from the tasks assigned to him. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi provided a different take on the No. 3 position.
How did Tilak Varma explain the Indore run-out, and what does the Hyderabad T20I imply for him?
Tilak’s run-out in Indore gained notice because he stopped mid-run, assuming the ball had crossed the boundary. He explained that he noticed a light from the digital boundary hoardings and assumed a fielder had touched them when flicking the ball in.
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The fourth T20I against the West Indies is set for Hyderabad, Tilak’s home field. After what has happened in recent weeks, the vice-captaincy tag bears more weight for him heading into this game.
