I want to target their best bowlers: Tilak

Tilak Varma shines in T20 cricket, seamlessly filling the shoes of Indian legends with a fearless and impactful batting style.

In cricket, nailing transitions from one era to another is often tricky and involves a phase during which the new hires take time to find their feet.

India, though, has been lucky in that regard in T20 cricket. The next crop has comfortably filled the shoes left by Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja, all of whom exited the scene after winning last year’s World Cup.

Tilak Varma is one such player from the next-gen who has made a telling impact in a short time at the crucial No.3 spot. His last four scores in T20Is reads as 107 not out, 120 not out, 19 not out and 72 not out. The most recent one, which came against England on Saturday here at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, could be one of the best knocks he has played in his brief career so far.

Tilak showed bravery in taking on England’s pace spearhead, Jofra Archer, and did so with conviction by making the requisite technical adjustments.

“If you see, I want to target their best bowlers,” said Tilak. “If you take on their best bowlers, other bowlers will be under pressure. So, even when the wickets are falling, I wanted to do that because it is easier for the (batter) at the other end.”

“I backed myself and took chances against him. Whatever shots I have scored for Archer, I have worked in the nets. Mentally, I was ready for that. So, it has given me a good result,” he explained.

The left-handed batter smoked Archer for 30 runs off just nine balls, that included four sixes.