Indian batter Tilak Varma has opened up on challenges of changing the batting position in T20Is. Varma mostly batted at one drop at the beginning of his career, but he has been batting lower down the order in recent games.
The left-hander is mostly batting at number five these days, with Ishan Kishan batting at one down. The southpaw from Andhra recently scored a crucial knock of 51 runs off just 22 balls in the Asian Games final against Pakistan.
Varma admitted that shifting from number three or four to the opening position is slightly easier as compared to shifting from three or four to the sixth or seventh position.
Varma said on Star Sports, “It has been tough. You can easily shift from No.3 to 4 or from opening to No.3 because it’s not a big difference. But shifting from 3 or 4 to No.6 or 7 has been really tough. Yet, if that’s the team’s requirement, there is no option. You have to earn that position, and I’ve worked a lot in practice and mentally to bat at different positions.”
“I’ve worked on remaining still and smashing the ball against yorkers in the end overs. When you bat down the order, the ball comes slower compared to when it hits the seam and comes through when you bat in the top order. The total mechanics change, and I’ve accepted mentally that I have to be able to do a job in the lower middle-order.”
The Indian vice-captain said he likes batting in the top order, and he would say yes if he is given an opportunity to open the innings.
“I always like batting in the top order, at No.3. I was an opener when I started playing cricket and then moved to No.3 in the Under-19 World Cup. After that, I batted at No.4 in the IPL, and ever since, I’ve batted at every position. But since I started as an opener, even now, if I am asked to open, I’ll do it. I really love batting at 3, though,” said Tilak (via the aforementioned source).
Varma didn’t get a chance to bat in the opening T20I against the West Indies as India registered an eight-wicket win.
