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India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has lauded young Tilak Varma for adapting well to the middle order role after he lost his designated no.3 spot midway through the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Having too many left-handers at the top of the order led to opposition resorting to off-spin to stem the flow of runs. An out-of-form Abhishek Sharma meant Varma had to walk out early and do the role of rebuilding every time. His strike rate took a hit and when India lost to South Africa, there was a need for a shuffle in batting order. Kotak is happy with Varma's flexible nature. He explained why he is batting at no.5 and how his shot selection is based on merit instead of slogging it every time.
“Tilak is very flexible. He never talks about the batting order. If you want him to open, he is ready. Number three, he really enjoys. Now, with the situation of having three left-handers in a row, he knew that the batting order was changing for that reason. Obviously, Surya, we won’t change, so Tilak goes in at five. He understands that. Though he is aggressive, he plays according to the merit of the ball. He doesn’t blindly slog the ball,” Kotak said as quoted by Sportstar ahead of the semifinal clash against England at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on March 5.
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Varma overcomes dull start with versatility
Varma registered a hat-trick of 25s at the group stage before a 31-run knock against the Netherlands. His strike rate was under question. In the first Super 8 clash, he was dismissed for just one run in an attempt to step down the ground and play aggressive early on.
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As Sanju Samson returned to the top of the order, Ishan Kishan batted at no.3. Varma walked out to bat at no.6 as Hardik Pandya was sent ahead of him. He slammed four sixes and three fours in his unbeaten 16-ball 44 to take India to a 256/4 against Zimbabwe. The 72-run win helped improve India's net run rate (NRR).
In another must-win clash, he walked out at no.5 in the run chase against West Indies. He helped India accelerate in the middle overs. He contributed with a 15-ball 27 cameo in the 42-run partnership with Samson. With Samson playing the anchor role, scoring an unbeaten 50-ball 97, India won the game by five wickets with four balls to spare.
The 23-year-old is currently India's third-highest run-getter in the ongoing edition. From seven innings, he has 178 runs at an average of 29.66 and strike rate of 147.10.
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