Ravi Ashwin picks Tilak Varma as potential ODI World Cup backup for India
Two IPL seasons were my turning point, I am here because of that: Tilak Varma
India's latest batting sensation Tilak Varma has made heads turn with two crucial knocks in his first two T20I matches during the ongoing series against West Indies. The Southpaw top-scored in both games for India as other batsmen failed. Varma scored 39 off 22 in the 1st T20I before hitting his maiden fifty (51 off 41) in the second one. India, however, lost both games and are currently trailing 0-2 in the five-match series.
India's veteran spinner Ravi Ashwin thinks that Varma could be a backup for Men in Blue at the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup. Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube channel, also compared Varma's batting, especially the pull shot, to Aussies.
“The emergence of Tilak Varma has made everyone take notice of him. He looked in imperious touch even on that slow pitch in 1st T20I. His batting style is very unlike for an Indian making his international debut. His game resembles a lot like Rohit Sharma. He sweats on the pull shot. Generally, India batters won’t set up to play the pull shot. It is something they develop later. But his game looks like he has a natural pull shot and sends the ball outside the rope like an Aussie batter,” Ashwin said.
Also Read:Former India wicketkeeper says 'time running out' for Sanju Samson
“This is neck-and-neck with respect to the World Cup. So, will they think about Tilak Varma as an option if we don’t have enough backups? Because Sanju Samson has performed really well in ODIs. But the exciting part about Tilak Varma is that he is a left-hander and Team India is lacking left-handers. Jaddu is the only left-handed batter in the top 7. And look at the off-spinners from all the top teams. Australia have Ashton Agar. England have Moeen Ali and a leggie in Adil Rashid. So most teams don’t have a finger spinner to challenge the left-handed batters. That is why the emergence of Tilak is crucial,” he added.
With less than 60 days to go for the World Cup and a cloud of uncertainty over players, namely Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant, Varma surely has emerged as a contender for the backup spot. The lack of form of his contemporaries like Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav has also helped his case.
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