"I am surprised that he didn't get an opportunity" - Brad Hogg on Tilak Varma in India vs England Tests
Former Australian cricketer Brad Hogg claimed that he had worked with young sensation Tilak Varma during a Mumbai Indians second-team training camp before the IPL 2023 season.
Hogg was pleasantly surprised with Tilak's maturity and game awareness and felt that he could have got an opportunity to make his Test debut for India in the ongoing series against England.
In a video on his YouTube channel, Brad Hogg earmarked Tilak Varma as a potential future captain for India. He said (31:25)
"I spent some time with Tilak Varma before the IPL last year with the Mumbai Indians second team. I think he is a fantastic player and has a great head on his shoulders. I am surprised that he didn't get an opportunity in this Test series. He may not have the runs under his belt but I think he could be a leader for Indian cricket down the track."
Tilak Varma has played 14 first-class games in his career, scoring 850 runs at an average of 47.22. He has also played four ODIs and 16 T20Is for India so far.
Brad Hogg on whether Ajinkya Rahane should make a Test comeback
Brad Hogg has played alongside Ajinkya Rahane at the Rajasthan Royals and claimed that he was a huge admirer of the veteran Indian batter. However, he feels Rahane is more suitable for situations when India need a technically strong batter away from home.
Hogg opined that India could look at Rahane in place of Shreyas Iyer when they go overseas. He stated (37:40):
"The way the Test cricket is going, I don't think he will fit into the Indian team. Although Shreyas Iyer has struggled against the short ball, I would want to give him a couple of more opportunities. On bouncer wickets, Iyer struggles a bit and that's where Ajinkya Rahane can play a role offshore."
Brad Hogg expressed his concerns about Shreyas Iyer's ability to tackle short-pitched deliveries. With Shubman Gill having smashed a hundred in Visakhapatnam and Virat Kohli and KL Rahul slated to return, Iyer could lose his spot in India's playing XI for the third Test against England in Rajkot.