Tilak Varma — a silver lining in World Cup squad uncertainty Premium

Tilak Varma — a silver lining in World Cup squad uncertainty. Not for the first time, the Indian team management has yet to identify a settled squad as a World Cup fast approaches. When the team was announced for the 2019 Cricket World Cup, there was a surprise in store as Ambati Rayudu was left out in favour of Vijay Shankar. Then chief selector M.S.K. Prasad justified Vijay Shankar’s inclusion, stating that the all-rounder brought in a “three-dimensional” flavour. That did not go down well with a miffed Rayudu.

Not for the first time, the Indian team management has yet to identify a settled squad as a World Cup fast approaches.

When the team was announced for the 2019 Cricket World Cup, there was a surprise in store as Ambati Rayudu was left out in favour of Vijay Shankar. Then chief selector M.S.K. Prasad justified Vijay Shankar’s inclusion, stating that the all-rounder brought in a “three-dimensional” flavour. That did not go down well with a miffed Rayudu.

The 2023 Cricket World Cup is only six weeks away, and once again, there is no clarity on who will don a key role. The middle-order slot is the most pressing concern. It is the injury status of Shreyas Iyer and K.L. Rahul that has caused this dilemma.

Both batters — currently going through the paces at the National Cricket Academy — are yet to return to competitive action. It would not be wise to rush the duo into a big event like the World Cup.

Until recently, Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson were the front-runners for these spots. Suryakumar’s poor returns in ODIs, however, has raised suspicion that the Mumbaikar — a proven match-winner in T20s — is yet to adjust to the demands of 50-over cricket. Samson, meanwhile, has not done himself any favours with his inconsistent run. With scores of 12, 7 and 13 in the recent T20Is against West Indies, the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter has failed to impress.

Fortunately for India, there was a silver lining in the 2-3 T20I series defeat. Southpaw Tilak Varma stood out with a few sparkling knocks, giving hope that the unit has found a suitable middle-order option.

Tilak made 173 runs in five outings — the most by an Indian and third-highest among both teams. The Hyderabad cricketer — taking his first steps in the international arena — looked assured and comfortable at the crease. He displayed a maturity quite unusual for a rookie 20-year-old — going about his business in a quiet and calculative manner.