Tilak showcased a commendable debut performance in the West Indies, amassing 173 runs across five innings, including a notable half-century. However, his recent performances have been less successful, experiencing two unproductive outings with scores of zero and one in two innings.
“Tilak Varma should do one simple thing: go and observe first how the wicket is behaving. Where he made his debut in the West Indies, the conditions were somewhat similar to India and the wicket behaved in a similar manner. There, he could play shots in a certain way. However, now that he is in Ireland, the conditions are different. The wicket is harder, there is grass on it, moisture is present, and there are overcast conditions. The ball moves, and there is more bounce. So, he should take a bit of time, face 15-16 balls, and then start playing his shots,” Sarandeep said.
Sarandeep said that India should also test its bench strength and give pacer Avesh Khan a chance.
“Absolutely, it should definitely happen, especially after a victory, when you get the liberty to make changes. I really want to see Avesh Khan play. He’s a good fast bowler, and I have mentioned before that he consistently performs well in domestic cricket and even in the IPL. We have seen him playing regularly and delivering excellent bowling performances. Even though we could not give him a chance during the West Indies series due to the back-and-forth nature of the matches, we should certainly provide him with an opportunity here. Jitesh Sharma should also get a chance,” said Sarandeep.
A JioCinema expert, Abhishek Nayar, who is also a former Indian all-rounder, said that Tilak should not change anything as far as his approach is concerned and pointed out that he has been “unfortunate”.
“I believe Tilak Varma has been slightly unfortunate in the first T20I when he got out down the leg side. I feel most batsmen would want a boundary on that kind of ball. In the second T20I, he played his favourite shot, the one that got him a six on his debut in the West Indies. So, I believe he has been unfortunate. I just believe he should stick to his game plans and keep doing what he is doing. His biggest strength has been evident in the IPL. Every time he has had a bad knock, he has come back more aggressively,” he said.
However, Nayar, felt India should not change the winning combination. “I would prefer not to see any changes. You know, it is a very short tour, just these T20Is. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the players who have been given an opportunity continue to play,” he said.
(With ANI Inputs)