Tilak Varma Emerges as Contender in India’s Middle Order For World Cup 2023
Tilak Varma is likely to be in India's World Cup squad [AP Photo]
Tilak Varma, who impressed for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (2023), subsequently earned a call-up to the national team. Grabbing the opportunity with both hands, the youngster delivered some consistent performances in the T20I series against West Indies.
In five T20I matches, the 20-year-old scored 173 runs at an average of 57.66 and a strike rate of 140.65. His best performances came in the second and third T20I, when he scored 51 and 49*, respectively.
Given how the Hyderabad cricketer performed in his maiden international series, he has now emerged as a dark horse in the middle order for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023.
As per a report by TOI, the Indian selectors may consider Varma as a middle-order option in the 2023 World Cup. There is uncertainty surrounding KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer's recovery from injury and as a result, India are looking for alternatives in that tricky number 4 spot.
Rohit Sharma, under whose captaincy Verma played in the IPL, has also been all praises for the 20-year-old.
"He looks very promising. I have seen him for two years now, he has got the hunger, and that is the most important thing," Rohit said. "In him I can see, for the age that he is of, he is quite matured. He knows his batting so well. When I speak with him I understand that the boy knows his batting – where he has to hit, what he has to do in that period," Sharma told reporters.
Thanks to a stellar start to his international career, there is a chance that Varma may get selected in the Indian squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023.