Tilak Varma will need to play in the middle order. Image Credits:
Tilak Varma has been an intriguing case in T20Is. He initially found ample success at No.3, but his issues with spin soon came to the fore.
Teams started targeting him with slow bowlers, and his problems exacerbated to a point where India had to demote him midway through the T20 World Cup 2026. Tilak hasn’t improved enough since then and will need to be used differently in the UK tour.
Tilak Varma’s struggles against spin
Tilak Varma has enough issues with spin and can’t bat at No.3 anymore. Since 2025, the southpaw has had a strike rate of 118.16 and taken around 8.46 deliveries to hit a boundary against tweakers.
Among all batters with at least 450 spin balls in this period, Tilak’s strike rate is the fourth-lowest, and those three with a lower figure than him are from associate nations. Additionally, he plays around 33.5% dot balls.
In the middle overs, Tilak’s tepid approach has stagnated the innings and put pressure on other batters around him. He has a strike rate of 115.34 and plays around 31.5% dot balls between overs 7 and 16 against spin.
Tilak Varma has struggled against spin
His main issues have come on deliveries on or just outside off-stump. Nine of Tilak Varma’s 13 dismissals against spin since last year have come on lines outside off-stump, in the channel.
How should India use Tilak?
While Tilak Varma has enough problems with spin, he remains one of the better pace-hitters in India’s squad for the UK tour. Since 2025, the left-handed batter has a strike rate of 153.69 and a balls-per-boundary ratio of 4.79 against pace.
India used him in the middle order midway through the T20 World Cup 2026, and Tilak looked better equipped for that role. He has always looked well at No.5 or below and should continue to act as a pace-hitter.
While batting at No.5 or lower, Tilak Varma has an average of 35.50 and a strike rate of 144.55 in 48 T20 innings. Moreover, he has hit a boundary every 5.56 balls.
Tilak Varma has done well in the lower middle order
A major reason he has aced this role is his vast range, including his unorthodox shots behind the square. Tilak has all the shots, like the slog sweep, scoop, and ramp, to access all around the ground.
If he bats slightly low, the southpaw will face more pace and won’t need to waste too many balls before getting started. India have not selected Rinku Singh, who was a pace-hitter in the lower order, and will be more reliant on Axar Patel and Shivam Dube.
Also Read: Tilak Varma Warned Before India vs Ireland T20Is, No Guarantee Given
Axar has shown issues against high pace and will need to be promoted at times to maximise his batting value. Hence, Tilak needs to play at No.5 or below to provide some support to Dube against fast bowlers.
Using more all-round players at No.3 or 4
India have Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer as perfect batters for the No.3 and 4 slots, respectively. Both have aced this role recently, including in the IPL.
Playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kishan scored 602 runs at an average of 40.13 and a strike rate of 182.42 in 15 innings, including six half-centuries, at one down. He’s improved massively against pace and has always been powerful against spin, making him an ideal No.3.
Meanwhile, Iyer averaged a whopping 48.77 and struck at 169.49 in 12 outings, with four fifties and a century, at No.4. He has improved significantly against short balls and been the best No.4 in the last couple of IPL seasons.
Both Kishan and Iyer are more all-round batters than Tilak Varma and should bat in the upper middle order to avoid the innings from getting stagnant. A top four of Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Shreyas Iyer protects against all types of bowling while also allowing Tilak to face more pace at No.5.
Also Read: MS Dhoni To Ishan Kishan: Bihar-Born Players To Represent Indian Cricket Team
