Former head coach of Team India, Ravi Shastri has showered praise on the young talent Tilak Varma for his remarkable batting performances in both international and franchise cricket. Shastri expressed his strong support for including Tilak Varma in India’s squad for the forthcoming ODI World Cup 2023, sharing his perspective on the selection process.
Tilak Varma recently marked his international debut during the T20I series against the West Indies, where he made a significant impact with his left-handed batting prowess. Over the course of five innings, he amassed an impressive 173 runs, boasting an average of 43.25 and a strike rate of 130.08.
Participating in a discussion on Star Sports, Ravi Shastri elaborated on his rationale for advocating Tilak Varma’s inclusion in India’s squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup, scheduled to take place on home soil later this year.
“My admiration for Tilak Varma is immense. If I were in the position of a selector, in collaboration with my panel, I would scrutinize his current form and how he accumulates his runs. Over the past three months, observing his performances for the Mumbai Indians, representing India, handling pressure, confronting different opponents, and maneuvering through various game situations, he has consistently checked all the boxes, showcasing remarkable composure for someone of his age.”
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Shastri emphasized the breadth of Varma’s skills, encompassing shot selection, an expansive range of strokes, and the capacity to adopt unconventional approaches to the game. Shastri further highlighted the young cricketer’s adeptness in understanding and responding to varying match situations, underscoring the significance of his commendable temperament.
The injuries of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul have introduced an unforeseen alteration in the team composition under the leadership of Rohit Sharma. Both players are currently in the process of recovery at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.
Tilak Varma’s inclusion in India’s squad for the T20I series against Ireland and the 2023 Asian Games suggests that he may not have been immediately within the selectors’ considerations. However, his impressive batting displays in the Caribbean Islands and the USA have undoubtedly brought him into contention for future selections.
India Squad for Ireland tour: Jasprit Bumrah (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, and Avesh Khan
India’s squad for Asia Games 2023: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rahul Tripathi, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Shivam Mavi, Shivam Dube, and Prabhsimran Singh (wk)