Harare:Newly appointed India’s T20I vice-captain Tilak Varma has failed to live up to expectations in recent times. His poor strike rate has been a constant discussion among fans and arguably for the same reason, the selectors have recalled Rinku Singh for the upcoming three-match series against Zimbabwe.
However, Tilak isn’t bothered about strike rate criticism, insisting that he bats according to the team's needs rather than chasing personal numbers. Ahead of the
, the Hyderabad batter made it clear that he's capable of attacking from the very first ball, but that his approach shifts depending on the match situation and what the team actually needs.
“I play according to the situation. In this game, you have to bat in different places, and especially in such conditions, it's not easy. At the same time, I always say that I do whatever is required for the team. If I have to stop and play for the team, then I stop and play. If I have to hit, then I hit and play,” Tilak said in the press conference.
He pointed to India's repeated top-order collapses on the tour as the real reason behind his approach.
“From Ireland to England, we were losing four or five wickets inside the powerplay or within the first 10 overs in several matches. Going in and trying to accelerate immediately in that situation doesn't make sense. That's always in my mind. I know I can hit the first ball, but I'm playing for the country, and that comes with responsibilities,” the 23-year-old added.
Did vice-captaincy have an effect?Tilak was named Shreyas Iyer's deputy after the BCCI reshuffled the T20I setup following India's World Cup win. While the role carries limited weight on paper, Tilak said the added responsibility genuinely shapes how he approaches his batting.
“Everything depends on what the team needs at that moment. Sometimes I have to bat till the end, and sometimes the team's plans change according to the match situation. As vice-captain, the management gives me certain responsibilities after careful planning, and I want to fulfil those responsibilities," he added.
Tilak’s recent performancesThe southpaw scored 178 runs in seven T20Is across the two tours at a combined strike rate of 131.85, splitting to 152.94 in England and 110.44 in Ireland. He did register two half-centuries along the way, 55 against Ireland in the second T20I and 53 against England in the final match, but questions persisted over his approach through the middle overs.
About his recent dip in performances, Tilak said, “So when you have a vice-captaincy in your name, then the team gives you something after thinking about it. So I want to take the same responsibilities that the management gives me, so I'm playing according to that.”
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