Less than 100 days are left for ICC Men’s 2023 ODI World Cup in India and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to find out answers to a few questions – set perfect combinations in their playing XI. Locking in batters for the middle-order, including number four batting position, remains one of the biggest challenges for team India as it is uncertain whether injured stars Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul would be able to make comeback in time for the mega ICC event.

Veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that talented youngster Tilak Varma – who made his debut for the national team in the ongoing India vs West Indies T20I series and notched up a maiden fifty in 2nd T20I on Sunday – can be the answer to some of India’s problems.

“The emergence of Tilak Varma has made everyone take notice of him. He looked in imperious touch even on that slow pitch in 1st T201. His batting style is very unlike for an Indian making his international debut. His game resembles a lot like Rohit Sharma. He sweats on the pull shot. Generally, India batters won’t set up to play the pull shot. It is something they develop later. But his game looks like he has a natural pull shot and sends the ball outside the rope like an Aussie batter,” Ashwin said in his recent YouTube video.

A special fifty 👍

A special celebration for someone special from the Rohit Sharma family ☺️#TeamIndia | #WIvIND | @ImRo45 | @TilakV9 pic.twitter.com/G7knVbziNI

— BCCI (@BCCI) August 6, 2023

“This is neck-and-neck with respect to the World Cup. So, will they think about Tilak Varma as an option if we don’t 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 is the only left-handed batter in the top 7. And look at the off-spinners from all the top teams. Australia have Ashton Agar. England have Moeen Ali and a leggie in Adil Rashid. So most teams don’t have a finger spinner to challenge the left-handed batters. That is why the emergence of Tilak is crucial,” he further added.