T20 World Cup 2026: Tilak Varma advised to play like Virat Kohli ahead of India vs Zimbabwe Super 8 clash

Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif advised Tilak Varma to play like Virat Kohli in the T20Is as the left-handed batter struggled in the T20 World Cup 2026 clash against South Africa in Super 8 clash at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Tilak has mostly played the role of an anchor in the ICC tournament so far. In five matches, he has scored 107 runs at a strike rate of 118, focusing more on stability than aggressive shots. But in the Super 8 match against South Africa, he tried to change his approach, and it didn’t work out.

Mohammad Kaif wants Tilak to bat like Kohli

He went after Marco Jansen, looking to score quickly, but ended up edging the ball straight to Quinton de Kock. Sunil Gavaskar was not pleased with his batting and openly questioned his approach. Mohammad Kaif also shared a similar opinion on his YouTube channel. Kaif said that the team management should clearly tell Tilak to stick to his main role, which is playing steady cricket and holding the innings together.

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"Tilak Varma has his own way of playing. He can afford to play with a slow strike rate. However, he got out while playing a big shot. There was pressure building on him for the strike rate. As a player, you do keep track of what is being said. But it is the job of the management to ask the player to stick to his role. He should play Virat Kohli's role. He moved away from his gameplay by stepping out and going for a big shot. You'll never be able to play if you listen to what others are saying," said Kaif.

Mohammad Kaif's advice to Tilak Varma

Kaif believes that India has enough options to play attacking cricket, making it vital for Tilak to anchor the innings and take it deep.

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"To become a chase master, you will have to first bat till the 20th over. Tilak Varma got out early, trying to hit. What is your role? Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Rinku Singh play attacking cricket. There should be at least one player who takes the game deep," said Kaif.

India's upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 clash

India will now face Zimbabwe in their second Super 8 clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 which will take place on February 15 at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.