"He was a proper List A player before the IPL" - RP Singh on whether Tilak Varma should be considered for other formats
RP Singh reckons Tilak Varma's excellent performances in the ongoing T20I series between India and the West Indies have put him in contention for a place in other formats as well.
The Windies set the Men in Blue a 160-run target in the third T20I in Guyana on Tuesday, August 8. Suryakumar Yadav's aggressive 44-ball 83 and Varma's responsible unbeaten 49 off 37 deliveries then helped the visitors register a comfortable seven-wicket win with 13 balls to spare.
During a discussion on JioCinema, Singh was asked whether Tilak Varma showed the required maturity in his batting for him to be considered for the other formats, to which he responded:
"He has put in his slip and everyone should read it as well. No. 4, left-handed batter - he ticks all the boxes. When he was selected for the T20 format, his List A career was checked. He was a proper List A player before the IPL."
The former Indian seamer pointed out that the Hyderabad youngster generally plays conventional shots and has altered his game to meet the demands of the shortest format. He stated:
"He used to build his innings and win matches for his team. He values his wicket. You wouldn't see him playing too many shots while stepping out. He chooses shots that are close to being technically correct. He has changed his game slightly in the T20 format."
Varma has an exceptional record in List A cricket. The 20-year-old has smashed 1236 runs in 25 innings at an excellent average of 56.18 and an impressive strike rate of 101.64.
"He has a fearless approach for sure but he also sees where to hit the ball" - RP Singh on Tilak Varma
![Tilak Varma played second fiddle to Suryakumar Yadav in Tuesday's game. [P/C: @TilakV9/Twitter]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/08/3968e-16915678072046-1920.jpg?w=500)
RP Singh highlighted that Tilak Varma chooses his shots judiciously. He explained:
"The good thing about his batting is that he drives the first ball if it is there for the drive, he has a fearless approach for sure, but he also sees where to hit the ball. It is not that you go and hit sixes. He played a drive and then made room to hit a four with an upper cut."
The cricketer-turned-commentator concluded by observing that the Mumbai Indians batter plays as per the merit of the delivery and takes calculated risks. He stated:
"He understands the game very well. He is seeing the length of the deliveries and figuring out where to play them. He plays risky shots but they are calculated. So he is also judging the game well."
Varma hit four fours and a six during his unbeaten 49-run knock. Although he was slightly unlucky to miss out on a second successive half-century, he became the first Indian player to score more than 30 runs in each of his first three T20I innings.