India’s T20I vise captain, Tilak Varma, has been candid about accepting a move away from No. 3 and finding true fulfillment in his new middle-order duties. Since India’s crucial Super 8 match against Zimbabwe at the 2026 T20 World Cup, the 23-year-old, who established his T20I reputation at No. 3, has only batted there once.
In his T20I career, including both of his hundreds, Tilak Varma had amassed 651 runs at a strike rate of almost 151 at No. 3. He scored 107* at Centurion and 120* at Johannesburg against South Africa in November 2024, which is when those hundreds occurred. Despite this record, Tilak was dropped for the match against Zimbabwe when the team management rearranged the batting order following India’s defeat by South Africa in the 2026 T20 World Cup Super 8.
He helped India win a crucial match by responding with 44* off 16 balls at No. 6. Tilak was a member of the team that went on to win the 2026 T20 World Cup. “I want to step up for that role when the team needs it.” I believe that my current responsibility is to manage the middle phase, which includes overs 5, 6, and 7. I can slow down a little and go deeper into the game if quick wickets go [fall]. Tilak was quoted as saying, “I can do that role.”
For what reason has Tilak Varma agreed to bat lower in the order?
Tilak has made it apparent that the team-first mentality that was ingrained in him from an early age is what makes him comfortable with the positional shift. “By God’s grace, it’s going well,” he says, framing the move as a responsibility he is willing to take on rather than a setback. I’ve put in a lot of effort. I’m having fun right now. It’s truly enjoyable to watch when players like Ishan, Shreyas, and the openers are batting. I therefore don’t want to interfere with any roles. I want to do whatever the team requires.
You must be self-assured. The team will never have faith in you if you lack self-confidence. My coach has taught me since I was a young child that winning a game for the team is a different kind of fun, regardless of the role or circumstance you are in,” Tilak Varma remarked.
Tilak Varma has accepted his new position at the bottom of the hierarchy. He actually sees an opportunity in it and finds genuine fulfillment in his work. A different viewpoint on the No. 3 position was provided by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: “At No. 3, you have the freedom.” You will be able to bat during the Powerplay because there are just two fielders outside. Additionally, you can swing freely because you have no expectations. Particularly in T20, every batsman likes to play that role,” he remarked.
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In Indore, Tilak Varma’s run-out attracted notice when he stopped mid-run because he thought the ball had crossed the boundary. He clarified that he thought a fielder had touched the digital boundary hoardings while flicking the ball in because he saw a flash from them.
“The runout has been discussed extensively. I felt the fielder’s hand touch the digital boundary hoardings as he flicked the ball in, and I saw a flash [from the hoardings]. We both stopped at the same moment because Axar [Patel] felt the same way. Neither he nor I stopped first. I was facing the opposite direction at the non-striker’s end, but the ball was thrown to Axar’s end so he could see it. From outside, our teammates were yelling, “Go, go, go.””Axar would have yelled and I would have fled if he had known any better,” Tilak Varma remarked.
Tilak Varma’s home city of Hyderabad will host the fourth Twenty20 International against the West Indies. Prior to this match, the vice-captaincy title carries additional weight for him given everything that has transpired in recent weeks.
