India batter Tilak Varma has voiced strong support for the team management’s approach of flexibility and adaptability in T20 cricket, stressing that modern-day demands require players to adjust their roles according to match situations. Speaking ahead of the third T20I against South Africa, with the five-match series locked at 1-1, Tilak explained that India’s frequent changes in the batting order.
And that they are a part of a well-thought-out plan as the side prepares for the upcoming T20 World Cup. He underlined that experimenting now allows the team to understand different combinations and be better prepared for high-pressure scenarios later. According to Tilak, the emphasis is not on fixed positions but on being mentally ready to contribute whenever the team needs it most.
Batting Order Changes Driven By Tactics, Not Experiments
Addressing concerns over Axar Patel’s promotion up the order and regular middle-order reshuffles, Tilak clarified that such decisions are tactical rather than random experiments. He highlighted that the current environment encourages all batters, except the openers, to stay flexible and adaptable. “Everyone is flexible except the openers. I am up for batting at 3, 4, 5 or 6 — wherever the team prefers for me,” Tilak said, reflecting the collective mindset within the squad.
He further added that the final call always lies with the team think-tank, and players fully back those decisions. “If the team feels a particular move is tactically best, everyone goes with the team,” he stated. Tilak also pointed out that Axar’s promotion was based on match situations and past success, noting that similar moves have worked well in international tournaments. “One-off games keep happening. Axar Patel has already done the same thing, and he did well there. It depends on the situation,” he explained.
Team Management Explains The Broader Vision
India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate also shed light on the reasoning behind these changes, describing them as part of an ongoing exploration before the World Cup. He admitted that India had found itself in early trouble more often than desired in recent months. “We found ourselves being 35 for three more times than we would have liked in the last couple of months,” he said, explaining the need to extend the batting depth.
He added that the idea was to create a stronger link between the openers and the power-hitters who follow. Captain Suryakumar Yadav echoed similar sentiments, defending Axar’s promotion by highlighting his ability in longer formats. “We wanted him to bat back the same way today as well. Unfortunately, it didn’t work, but he did bat well,” Suryakumar said, while keeping the door open for further tactical tweaks in the upcoming matches.
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