Noted secondary player Ravichandran Ashwin has urged the national selectors and team management to show faith in a talent like Tilak Varma and include the lefty in the ODI World Cup squad as he could possibly be the answer to the problems of India’s middle order with multiple batsmen still recovering from injuries.
Ashwin’s comments were also backed by former chairman of selectors MSK Prasad, who wouldn’t mind seeing Varma in the final 15 as long as Shreyas Iyer doesn’t make the cut.
The stylish 20-year-old left-hander from Hyderabad has impressed everyone with scores of 39, 50 and 49 that didn’t come out in three T20Is in the West Indies and never once looked out of place at international level.
“This is neck and neck with respect to the World Cup. So will they think of Tilak Varma as an option if we don’t have enough backups? Because Sanju Samson has performed very well in ODIs. But the exciting part about Tilak Varma is that he is left-handed and the India team is lacking in left-handers. Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) is the only left-handed hitter in the top 7,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
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With star hitters KL Rahul (thigh surgery) and Iyer (lower back surgery) racing against time to get in shape for the 50-plus masterpiece that begins on October 5, the two options for backup, Suryakumar Yadav and Samson, have not inspired confidence of the highest order as the The enigma regarding the number 4 spot continues.
While Surya enjoys the confidence of the team management and will make him an additional mid-order option in the team, Samson has not used his opportunities and if Rahul is fit then Ishan Kishan could be the backup goalkeeper and starter for booking.
Ashwin gave his reason for picking Varma as he feels most top countries would not have quality players that could cause a rookie problems. “And he looks at the spinners from all the top teams. Australia has Ashton Agar. England have Moeen Ali and a leggie in Adil Rashid. Therefore, most teams do not have a spinner finger to challenge left-handed hitters. That is why the emergence of Tilak is crucial.”
Ashwin knows it might be hard to speed up Varma, but there’s nothing wrong with giving him a chance, especially after his continued exploits in the Caribbean. “It is still early but will they see it as an option? At least he’s made everyone notice. I’m sure he’s in the contingency plan. Because any selector who would have seen that shot would have said ‘Whoa!’” he said.
Prasad, who was the head of the selection panel during the last ODI World Cup, feels that someone like Varma is an equally capable ODI player.
“Look at his List A record for Hyderabad. He has played 25 List A games and is averaging 55 more (56.18). Five hundred and five half centuries. It means that at least 50 percent of the time he’s turning fifty into hundreds. A strike rate of over 100,” Prasad said. ITP.
“I think it won’t be a bad idea as long as Shreyas (Iyer) can’t attend. Only then can you think of Varma. But I am sure that he will be a cue ball regular for India in all formats in the future,” added the former India player.
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