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Tilak Varma made his T20I debut in the ongoing series between India and West Indies. The left-handed batter came into the limelight after his brilliant batting performances for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Varma made his IPL debut in 2022. In what was an otherwise forgettable season for the Mumbai Indians, the southpaw emerged as one of the few bright spots, scoring 397 runs in 14 matches. He batted in the middle order for MI and managed to maintain an average of 36.09 and a strike rate of 131.02.
After Varma continued his top form in IPL 2023 and finished with 343 runs in 11 games, he received his maiden national call-up for the T20I series against West Indies. In this listicle, we take a look at the three signs which prove that he can be a long-term asset for the Indian cricket team.
#1 Tilak Varma knows how to rebuild innings
In the ongoing second T20I match between India and West Indies in Guyana, Tilak Varma proved why he deserved a call-up to the Indian squad. The 20-year-old came out to bat when the Indian team's score was 18/2 in the fourth over. He stitched up a decent 42-run third-wicket partnership with Ishan Kishan before Romario Shepherd rattled Kishan's stumps.
Sanju Samson departed to the pavilion soon as well, but Varma held one end until the 16th over. Playing only the second T20I match of his career, the left-handed batter scored 51 runs off 41 balls under pressure. He helped the Indian team cross the 100-run mark.
Varma's innings consisted of five fours and a six. India finished with 152/7 in 20 overs. Had he not stabilized the innings after a mini collapse at the top of the order, India would have struggled to touch the 130-run mark.
#2 Tilak Varma has the 6-hitting ability
Very few batters in India can hit a six on any of the first five balls of their innings. While India is home to some quality hitters, a lot of batters need time to settle in the middle before they launch an assault on the opposition bowlers.
Tilak Varma knows how to hit sixes at will. In his first-ever T20I match for the Indian team, he smacked two sixes off the first three balls and got off the mark in a sensational manner. Considering that Varma is just 20 years old, he can perhaps own the record for the most sixes by an Indian in T20Is one day.
#3 Tilak Varma understands the situation of the game better than most of the youngsters
Fans may have noticed that some batters are more comfortable while chasing a target as compared to batting first. Similarly, a few batters are at their best when their team bats first in a match.
However, Tilak Varma is one of the few players who understands the match situation properly and adjusts his game accordingly. Be it batting first or batting second, he knows how to help his team win the matches.
