- “I’ll take a little more time” – Tilak Varma bats at No. 1
- India’s 5th and 6th vice-ctain details his tactical adjustment while batting at No. 1.
- 5 or 6, with singles and doubles the priority before chasing boundaries in the T20I series against New Zealand.
“I’ll take a little more time” – Tilak Varma bats at No. 1
India’s 5th and 6th vice-ctain details his tactical adjustment while batting at No. 1. 5 or 6, with singles and doubles the priority before chasing boundaries in the T20I series against New Zealand. (Photo Source: BCCI) India vice-ctain Tilak Varma has rethought his proach while moving down the batting order and adjusted his strategy while batting at the opening positions.
The left-hander explained how the demands of a lower-order batsman are fundamentally different from his role as No. 1. 3, where he has more time to settle in and methodically build a round. Tilak spoke about his recent performance and the tactical evolution that has ignored his recent performances ahead of the fourth T20I against New Zealand.
His comments follow a remarkable performance in the second T20I in Christchurch on October 24, where he demonstrated the effectiveness of his adjusted proach under pressure. “I already had the power play and I also scored on number three. Now when I bat at number five or six, I think about going for a boundary from the first ball only if it is there to be hit,” Tilak said in the pre-match press conference.
How is Tilak’s proach different from No. Change is not about giving up aggression, but rather about recognizing when to take risks and when to move on. Tilak pointed out that the difference between batting at no.
Positions 3 and below depend on the time available to assess the game situation. At No. 3 he has greater leeway to settle down and build methodically, while at No. 6, Urgency and context require faster assessment of scoring opportunities.
“Otherwise I concentrate on playing deep. I take a bit more time. First of all, I focus on singles and doubles games and find Gs for four or two points,” said Tilak.
Walking in at No. 6, while India were at 70 for 5 and chasing 181, Tilak remained unbeaten in the second T20I with 51 off 26 balls. Alongside Nitish Kumar Reddy, who contributed 26 off 13 balls, the two formed an unbeaten 69-run partnership for the seventh wicket and secured a four-wicket win.
This seventh-wicket stand represents India’s highest partnership for this wicket in the Men’s T20 Internationals and highlights the batting quality of both players in difficult circumstances. Tilak’s innings earned him the Player of the Match award and demonstrated the balance between caution and aggression that he displayed.
