India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has provided an update on Tilak Varma’s batting position ahead of their upcoming Super 8 clash against West Indies cricket team in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at Eden Gardens. Varma was moved down to number six in the previous fixture against Zimbabwe national cricket team and produced a scintillating unbeaten 44 off just 16 deliveries, striking three fours and four sixes during his explosive cameo.
Varma was involved in a commanding 84-run partnership off only 41 balls for the fifth wicket alongside Hardik Pandya, providing India with the perfect finish to their innings. However, despite his outstanding performance with the bat, ten Doeschate stated that the youngster is not guaranteed to bat in the same position in the upcoming fixture, as the side now possess several flexible options within the batting order.
“It is not a foregone conclusion that he will bat at No. 5 or 6 tomorrow. We now have options. We have seen it work with Sanju Samson at the top. Depending on the opposition combination, we can adjust accordingly. I thought Tilak looked very comfortable coming in around the 10-over mark. That is a huge credit to him and the way he has adapted his game,” said ten Doeschate during the pre-match press conference.
Ten Doeschate also remarked that it was encouraging to see Varma back to his best and praised him for providing valuable flexibility within the batting line-up.
“He has not been short of form. Spending four weeks on the sidelines and gradually building up is normal. It was great to see him back to his best and playing the situation beautifully. It is reassuring to know we have power in the middle order. The link between a strong start and finishing well is key to India’s success, and Tilak gives us flexibility in both roles,” he added.
India in a must-win situation
Meanwhile, India find themselves in a must-win situation against West Indies after losing their opening Super 8 fixture to South Africa national cricket team. However, the Proteas aided India’s prospects by also defeating West Indies comprehensively.
As a result, India now simply need to beat West Indies by any margin to progress to the semi-finals. The Men in Blue do not possess a strong record against the Caribbean side in the T20 World Cup, having won only one of the four matches played between the two teams in the tournament’s history. Therefore, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side will have history weighing against them as they head into this crucial encounter.
T20 World Cup | T20 World Cup Schedule | T20 World Cup Points Table | T20 World Cup Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
– Ends
