Tilak Varma Champions Adaptable Batting Lineup as India Gear Up for Crucial Dharamsala T20I Against South Africa

Dharamsala: Indian batter Tilak Varma has endorsed the team’s strategy of maintaining a fluid batting order beyond the opening pair, even as experiments have yielded inconsistent outcomes in the ongoing T20I series against South Africa.

With the five-match series tied at 1-1, the third encounter set for Sunday at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium has heightened focus on tactical adjustments. The decision to send all-rounder Axar Patel to No. 3 in the second T20I in Mullanpur backfired, but Tilak shone at No. 5 with a brisk 62 off 34 deliveries.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, the 23-year-old left-hander stressed player readiness to adapt. “Everyone is flexible except the openers,” Tilak said, referring to Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma. “I am up for batting at 3, 4, 5 or 6 wherever the team prefers me. If the team feels a particular move is tactically best, everyone goes with the team.”

He described such choices as driven by match situations rather than fixed roles. “One-off games keep happening. Axar has already done the same thing and he did well there. It depends on the situation,” Tilak noted.

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Despite chilly conditions, Tilak anticipates a batsman-friendly pitch, drawing from his previous Under-19 experience at the venue. “We are watching the wicket and I feel it will be a high-scoring one,” he said, while acknowledging early assistance for seamers due to cold weather.

With the evening start likely to bring dew, India has prepared accordingly. “We don’t have the toss in our hands. We are preparing for the dew and have practised with a slightly wet ball,” Tilak explained. “It’s very cold here, but we are prepared mentally and physically. Those who are mentally strong succeed everywhere.”

The young batter insisted that positional shifts do not disrupt his mindset. “We follow the basics in practice. I always think about what I can do for the team,” he added.

Observing that teams batting first have prevailed in the initial matches due to seam movement, Tilak affirmed India’s commitment to an aggressive style. “We will play with the same intent we have shown in the last 15-20 matches. We are confident of winning the series.”