India’s T20I vice-captain Tilak Varma said he can hit the first ball he faces if the team situation demands him to do the same. Varma recently faced criticism for his below-par strike in the T20I series against Ireland and England.

The left-hander did struggle to get going against the spinners and had a strike rate of 110.45 against Ireland after scoring 74 runs in two games. Varma scored 104 runs in five matches against England at an average of 26 and a strike rate of 152.94.

Tilak Varma said in the press-conference, “In this game, you have to bat in different places, and especially in such conditions, it’s not easy. At the same time, I always say that I do whatever is required for the team. If I have to grind it out and play for the team, I do. If I have to hit from ball number one, then I do that. So that’s what I always have in my mind, that I can go and hit the first ball.”

“But at the same time, I’m playing for the country, so there are a lot of responsibilities. So what are the conditions of the team? If I have to play for the team till the end, our team’s plans keep changing. When you are the vice-captain, the team gives you something after thinking about it.”

Varma defended his sedate approach on the UK tour, stating that the team lost quick three-four wickets in the Powerplay overs and thus he needed to do the rebuilding work.

“In the conditions of the team, if you look at it, from Ireland to England, you always had four to five wickets falling inside the powerplay or the first 10 overs. So going there and then getting out in trying to accelerate, it doesn’t make sense. So I want to take the same responsibilities that the management gives me, so I’m playing according to that,” said Tilak (via the aforementioned source).

The first T20I between India and Zimbabwe will be played at Harare on Thursday.