Tilak Varma voices on Indian batting order experiment

Although the hosts India suffered their second-largest T20I defeat by runs in their last game against South Africa, as the five-match series stands at 1-1 with three more games yet to be played, the Men in Blues are confident enough before the beginning of the third T20I, which will be hosted in Dharamsala on Sunday (December 14). At the pre-match press conference, Indian cricketer Tilak Varma spoke on the controversial Indian batting-order experiment.

The Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir and T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav have been criticised for experimenting with the batting order. Recently, Gambhir also clarified that he felt the batting order was overrated in white-ball cricket. Tilak Varma has also brought a similar voice to support his entire team management.

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Everyone knows the batting order is flexible: Tilak Varma

In the pre-match press conference, Tilak said, “Absolutely, everyone is flexible except the openers. I’m ready to bat at No. 3, 4, 5, or 6, wherever the team wants me. Everyone knows the batting order is flexible."

While Tilak Varma impressed as a no.3 or no.4 batter in his early T20I career, he is now also taking the no.5 batting role in very recent days. In their last game, he scored fighting 62 off 34 balls as a no.5 batter in the unsuccessful chase of a 214-run target, while the other batters failed to reach the 30-run mark. 

It depends on the situation: Tilak Varma

Supporting the batting order experiment, Tilak brought the example of Axar Patel's performance during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024. During the Final of the tournament, Axar was promoted to no.5 instead of his usual no.7 or no.8, while India lost three early wickets, and the left-handed batter had a crucial partnership with Virat Kohli while scoring a valuable 47 off 31 balls. Even in the group stage of that tournament, when India faced Pakistan, Axar was promoted to no.4 on the tough batting pitch and scored a crucial 20 runs, which was the second-highest score for his team.  

Tilak added, “It depends on the situation. You’ve already seen this with Axar Patel in the World Cup—he went up the order and did well. One-off games happen. At that time, whatever feels best for the team, everyone keeps the team first. No one thinks about individual positions. I’ve said I’m ready to bat anywhere for the team, and all players are thinking the same way."