While Rohit Sharma did not give away his plan for the World Cup, he was full of praise for the youngster.
Tilak Varma has made a sensational start to his international career. With scores of 39, 51 and an unbeaten 49 in India’s ongoing T20I series against West Indies, Tilak has not just proven his worth on the biggest stage after creating a storm in IPL over the last two seasons and emerging as the sole positive from the team’s otherwise hot and cold batting show, but the youngster has forced Indian cricket fraternity to rethink their ODI World Cup plans. It is unlikely that the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee will make a drastic step in overlooking their options so far, and so close to the World Cup that they would put him in the XI, let alone the squad, but veteran India cricketers including Ravichandran Ashwin have urged the BCCI to consider him as an option. Amid the noise, India skipper Rohit Sharma broke his silence.
It was under Rohit that Tilak made his debut in Mumbai Indians in 2022 and has since emerged as the one of the best youngsters to have played the tournament. In two years, he did not just solidify his place in the MI middle order, but also was backed by many a cricket experts to make the Indian team.
Eventually in July, he was picked in Indian T20I team for the West Indies tour and the Asian Games squad before being handed the debut cap in opening match of the series. He scored an impressive 25-ball 39, then scored his maiden international fifty in the second game before being denied the opportunity at a second successive half-century as he was left stranded at 49* in the 3rd T20I.
And while his scores made him the standout player in India’s topsy turvy run in the T20I contest, veteran cricketers were left impressed by his ability to read situations and show maturity in dealing with match scenarios as most called for his inclusion in the Indian World Cup team for the 50-over event.
Rohit Sharma on Tilak Varma’s World Cup inclusion
While Rohit did not give away his plan for the World Cup, he was full of praise for the youngster.
“He looks very promising. I have seen him for two years now, he has got the hunger, and that is the most important thing,” Rohit said. “In him I can see, for the age that he is of, he is quite matured. He knows his batting so well. When I speak with him I understand that the boy knows his batting – where he has to hit, what he has to do in that period.
“That is all that I will say about him, I do not know about the World Cup and all, but definitely the guy is talented and he showed it in these few games that he has played for India,” he added.
