Tilak Varma Embraces the Pressure as India Vice-Captain Trades No. 3 for Mid-Order Graft Ahead of Hyderabad Homecoming
Tilak Varma Embraces the Pressure as India Vice-Captain Trades No. 3 for Mid-Order Graft
Tilak Varma has made peace with his shifting role in India's T20I batting order — and, as the team's new vice-captain, he insists he would rather shoulder the hard yards than disturb a settled top four.
Speaking at a press conference in Hyderabad, his home ground and the venue for the fourth T20I against West Indies, Tilak confirmed he still "loves to bat" at No. 3, but is content to serve wherever the team needs him most.
A No. 3 Record Built on Freedom and Runs
In his short T20I career, Tilak has shown India several sides to his batting. At No. 3 he has been prolific and aggressive, scoring 651 runs at a strike-rate of nearly 151, including both of his T20I hundreds. Those centuries came in successive innings — 107* at Centurion and 120* at Johannesburg in November 2024 — and effectively made the No. 3 position his.
He explained why the slot suits him so well. "At No. 3, you have the freedom," Tilak said. "There are only two fielders outside and you will get to bat in the Powerplay. And you don't have any expectations, so you can swing freely. Every batsman enjoys playing that role, especially in T20."
Lower down, he has done two distinct jobs: as an anchor, soaking up early wickets and taking the game deep, most famously in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan; and as a finisher, going from the first ball, as he did on India's run to the T20 World Cup title, including the semi-final against England in Mumbai.
World Cup Rejig Pushes Him Down the Order
Tilak began the 2026 T20 World Cup at No. 3 and batted largely there through India's campaign. But after a loss to South Africa, when the team management reshuffled the batting for the must-win game against Zimbabwe, he found himself slotted at No. 6. He responded with a blistering 44* off just 16 balls — and has since batted at No. 3 only once.
Far from resenting the change, Tilak sees an opportunity. "I am the man who always wants that pressure," he said. "When the team needs it, I want to step up for that role. Right now, I think my role is to handle the middle phase, like overs 5, 6, 7. If quick wickets go [fall], I can take my time slightly and take the game deep. I can do that role."
"And I have one more role: if the openers or the top three bat till the 14th or 15th over, I know how to change gears and get going from the first ball. I have been practising for that, especially the mindset. It's really important to play both games. When the team is under pressure, you should take it deep. And when the team needs it from the first ball, you should go. For that, I am really ready."
No Desire to Disturb a Crowded Top Order
With competition for the top four spots so fierce that even Vaibhav Sooryavanshi cannot find a place, Tilak is adamant he does not "want to disturb" any established role.
"By God's grace, it's going well. I have worked really hard. Right now, I'm enjoying this moment," he said. "When someone like Ishan, Shreyas and the openers are batting, it's really a treat to watch. So I don't want to disturb any role. Whatever the team needs, I want to do it."
Asked what the new job demands mentally, he pointed to self-belief and a simple motivating principle. "You have to have confidence in yourself. If you don't have confidence in yourself, the team will never have confidence in you. Since childhood, my coach has taught me that whatever the role, whatever situation you are in, if you win the game for the team, it's a different kind of fun," Tilak said.
"So whatever position I go in at, I just see how I can win it for the team from there. After that, I look at the conditions, which bowler I can hit, and which shots I can play on that wicket. I adapt all that and use it on the ground."
Tilak Addresses the Indore Run-Out
Tilak was also asked about the bizarre run-out in Indore, where he stopped midway through a single, certain the ball had reached the boundary, and was caught short of his crease.
"A lot has been said about the run out," he said with a smile. "I saw a flash [from the digital boundary hoardings] and personally felt that the fielder touched the hoarding with his hand while flicking the ball in. Axar [Patel] also felt the same, so we both stopped at the same time. It wasn't that he or I stopped first. The ball was thrown to Axar's end, so he could see it, but at the non-striker's end, I was facing the other way. Our teammates were shouting from outside, 'go, go, go.' If Axar had known any better, he would have shouted and I would have run."
He added with a laugh: "In life going forward, I will never stop, even if the umpire signals a boundary. I will just keep running."
A Special Homecoming
The fourth T20I will be Tilak's first game at his home ground, and he admitted the vice-captaincy tag carries extra weight.
"It is a really proud moment that I am leading the Indian side as vice-captain and playing in front of the Hyderabad crowd," he said. "It will be a really special moment for me."