The emergence of Tilak Varma has made everyone take notice – Ravichandran Ashwin's take on impressive youngster's performance

India has endured their fair share of struggles in the middle-order, with the young opening pair of Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill unable to combine together to  post a strong show. With the World Cup approaching and India still sweating on KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer’s fitness, the onus has been on the middle-order batters to try and get the team across the line if there is an early wobble.

Ravichandran Ashwin, India’s finest off-spinner in the current day, had a name in his mind as he highlighted the commanding display that he has seen in Tilak Varma from the first two IND vs WI T20Is. Going by Ashwin’s words, India might already have a youngster capable of rising to the big occasion.

Ashwin also wanted to draw the attention of India’s chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, as the spinner talked at length about Varma on his Youtube channel and also expressed his thoughts on how the left-hander can be a key component of the Indian cricket team for the upcoming World Cup.

Varma had a brilliant start to his international career, blasting a phenomenal 39 in the first T20I before reaching his maiden half-century in the second match of the series. He never really looked uncomfortable nor once did he play a shot that was questionable, to say the least.

Ashwin said, “The emergence of Tilak Varma has made everyone take notice of him. He looked in imperious touch even on that slow pitch in 1st T20I. His batting style is very unlike an Indian making his international debut. His game resembles a lot like Rohit Sharma. He swears on the pull shot. Generally, India batters won't set up to play the pull shot. It is something they develop later. But his game looks like he has a natural pull shot and sends the ball outside the rope like an Aussie batter. Too early to call, but that knock was stupendous.”

He further added, “This is neck-and-neck with respect to the World Cup. So, will they think about Tilak Varma as an option if we don't have enough backups? Because Sanju Samson has performed really well in ODIs. But the exciting part about Tilak Varma is that he is a left-hander and Team India is lacking left-handers. Jaddu is the only left-handed batter in the top 7. And look at the off-spinners from all the top teams. Australia have Ashton Agar. England have Moeen Ali and a leggie in Adil Rashid. So most teams don't have a finger spinner to challenge the left-handed batters. That is why the emergence of Tilak is crucial. It is still early but will they see him as an option? He has at least made everyone notice him. He is surely in the contingency plan. Because any selector who would have seen that knock would have gone, ‘Woah!’”