Is Tilak Varma taking baby steps towards taking a spot in India’s first XI for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024? The indications provide an affirmative response as the batter found himself in the first XI in the IND vs SA 2nd T20. Moreover, he will bat at the number 3 spot, with team India preferring him over Shreyas Iyer in the starting XI.
After some ordinary displays in the first two T20Is of the IND vs AUS T20I series, Tilak Varma shone in the third match. Batting down the order, Tilak scored a quickfire 37 of 24 balls, but was dropped for the last two T20I matches following the return of Shreyas Iyer in the team.
However, Tilak Varma has been slotted in at number three, a different challenge from what he has been facing in the Indian team. The 21-year-old has generally batted down the order, around number 5 and 6.
With limited number of T20Is left before the 2024 T20 World Cup, an experiment like this likely suggest that Tilak Varma is firmly in team management’s plans. However, There is much competition in the lower middle-order position with players such as Shreyas Iyer, Jitesh Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja all vying for a spot.
Tilak Varma can play higher up the order too, providing the Indian team with a much wider bandwidth. A good performance by Tilak Varma in IND vs SA 2nd T20I can open the doors for his inclusion in the World Cup. However, he was in threat of a golden duck after coming out to bat in IND vs SA 2nd T20I but David Miller dropped his catch.
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