Former Indian cricketer Sandeep Patil has shared his preferences for team selection, expressing his inclination towards including Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav in the line-up for the upcoming Asia Cup and Men’s ODI World Cup.
Amid uncertainties surrounding the fitness of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul due to their respective back and thigh injuries, the calls for the selection of Suryakumar and Tilak have grown louder. Tilak Varma, who is yet to make his ODI debut, and Suryakumar Yadav have garnered Patil’s attention as potential assets for the team.
Patil, a former chief selector, stated, “100 per cent (if India should hand a debut to Tilak Varma?) I will go with Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav. Who will be in the playing XI, can be decided after looking at the balance and the opposition. But Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav will both be in my team,” in an interview with Star Sports.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has expressed his admiration for Tilak’s left-handed batting abilities, a trait that the current Indian team is missing. Tilak Varma showcased his potential by being the leading run-scorer in his debut T20I series against the West Indies, accumulating 173 runs in five innings with an average of 57.67.
Tilak boasts an impressive average of 56.18 in 25 List-A games, featuring five centuries and as many fifties.
“I’m very impressed with Tilak Varma. Very, very impressed. And I want a left-hander. So, if I’m looking for a left-hander in the middle order like Yuvraj Singh and before that was Suresh Raina at five, I would really look in that direction,” stated Shastri.
Shastri emphasized the importance of considering current form and performance when making selections. He noted Tilak’s consistent runs for Mumbai Indians and India over the past three months, highlighting his ability to excel under various game situations.
“When it comes to shot selection, when it comes to the range of shots, the ability to be unorthodox, he has everything. So, I’ll be looking at him very closely because he is hot at the moment, his mindset, his confidence, he understands situations, which is for me the most important thing,” Shastri concluded.
Advertisement