Indian team spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has pleaded to the national selectors as well as team management to believe in a player like Tilak Varma and select him for the ODI World Cup squad as he may be the solution to India’s middle-order problems with a number of batters still recovering from injuries.
Former Indian team selector MSK Prasad would have no problem witnessing Varma among the final 15 if Shreyas Iyer were to be ruled out as he agreed with Ashwin’s remarks.
With scores of 39, 50, and 49 not out across three T20Is against West Indies, the 20-year-old fashionable left-hander has dazzled everyone and has never once looked out of place at the highest level of cricket.
The Rajasthan Royal spinner spoke on his YouTube channel about the rise of Tilak Varma and how he can be a part of the World Cup squad. He said, “This is neck-and-neck with respect to the World Cup. So, will they think about Tilak Varma as an option if we do not have enough backups? Because Sanju Samson has performed really well in ODIs. But the exciting part about Tilak Varma is that he is a left-hander and Team India is lacking left-handers. Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) is the only left-handed batter in the top 7.”
I am sure he will be a white ball regular for India: MSK Prasad
MSK Prasad spoke about the records of the Mumbai Indians batter in domestic cricket as he spoke to PTI. He said, “Look at his List A record for Hyderabad. He has played 25 List-A games and has an average of 55 plus (56.18). Five centuries and five half-centuries. It means at least 50 per cent times he is converting fifties into hundreds. A strike rate of 100 plus.”
The former India wicketkeeper spoke about having Tilak Varma in the squad if Shreyas Iyer is ruled out due to injury. He said, “I think it won’t be a bad idea provided Shreyas (Iyer) can’t make it. Only then you can think of Varma. But I am sure he will be a white ball regular for India across formats going forward.”
Look at how the fans have reacted to MSK Prasad’s statement:
MSK Prasad said, "Tilak Varma could be India's X factor in the 2023 World Cup". (PTI). pic.twitter.com/oMHrauyVTi
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 9, 2023
Make him ready for 2024 T20 WC?
Dont rush everyone as all format players and spoil their careers
Humble request— msd_stan (@bdrijalab) August 9, 2023
He's not wrong.
Tilak is fearless. He can play pace as well as spin.
— Dr Nikhil Jain | SEBI RA (@iamMarketWiz) August 9, 2023
Please ask MSK Prasad to not jinx him by calling him the X factor. We all saw MSK's X factor player in the last World Cup.
— Pathik Joshi? (@pathikj80) August 9, 2023
Every Player scenario for World Cup Squad: pic.twitter.com/284GRq7XdP
— Abhay ?? (@InfinityAbhay) August 9, 2023
W , Ishan surya tilak Rohit bumrah Should be
— User45 (@140off113) August 9, 2023
Tilak verma solves many problems
1.Middle order left handed batsman who can play a second fiddle like we saw last match
2.Can give you 4-5 crucial overs,something which raina and yuvi did in 2011 wc— Krishnendu Ghosh (@Krishne59353468) August 10, 2023
Is this same MSK prasad who expedieted vijay shankar into last WC calling him 3D player? Why is he playing with careers of these players? Tilak varma is young and need to handled with care , dont rush him to WC and destroy their careers.
— prap4srh (@prap4social) August 9, 2023
On the basis of 3 t20i match don't pick tilak in world Cup squad for number 4 ,as sanju and shreyas are already there .
give them their right for what they deserve!! ????
— Divy Pratap Singh (@DivyPra56472431) August 9, 2023
Our old habit of 'He is doing good in T20i, let's play him in ODIs too' & 'He isn't doing good in T20i, but he will do well in ODIs because it's a different format'. ?
— ?????? Dubey ?? (@sdSankalp26) August 9, 2023
Haan like Vijay Shankar as 3D and X-factor Player in 2019 WC ???
— AAYUSH PRAJAPATI (@prajapati_aayu) August 9, 2023
Typical MSK Prasad
He did same in 2019 wc— Mr Om?? (@MrOm14852020) August 9, 2023
