'I can attack from first ball, but...': Tilak Varma hits back at strike-rate criticism

Indian batter Tilak Varma has defended his batting approach during India’s T20I tours of Ireland and England, saying his strike rate was influenced by match situations rather than his personal style. Tilak said his only focus is to do what the team needs, whether it is attacking from the very first ball or playing a steady innings, he believes the situation should decide his approach.

The 23-year-old pointed out that India often lost four or five wickets inside the first 10 overs on both tours, making it important for him to stabilise the innings instead of taking unnecessary risks. He also said he accepts the responsibilities given to him by the team management and adjusts his game accordingly.

Although Tilak scored useful runs on the tours, he was criticised for not increasing the scoring rate quickly enough and for slowing the team’s momentum.

“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 grind it out and play for the team, I do. If I have to hit from ball number one, then I do that. So at that time, in the conditions of the team, if you look at it, from Ireland to England, you always had four to five wickets falling inside the powerplay or the first 10 overs,” Tilak told reporters in the pre-match press conference.

“So going there and then getting out in trying to accelerate, it doesn’t make sense. So that’s what I always have in my mind, that I can go and hit the first ball. But at the same time, I’m playing for the country, so there are a lot of responsibilities. So what are the conditions of the team? If I have to play for the team till the end, our team’s plans keep changing. When you are the vice-captain, 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,” he added.

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Tilak registered two half-centuries during the Ireland and England tours, one against Ireland and another against England. In seven T20Is, he scored 178 runs, with his highest score of 55 coming in the second T20I against Ireland in Belfast.

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India, led by Shreyas Iyer, endured a difficult run, losing the T20I series 2-0 to Ireland before suffering a 4-0 whitewash against England. The Men in Blue will now aim to return to winning ways in the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, which begins on Jul 23.

With inputs from agencies