With the ODI World Cup 2027 in mind, the Indian team management have already started working on the best team combination and looking at back-up options for different positions.
Tilak Varma in the race for a back-up spot
According to TOI, head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill are considering Tilak Varma as a back-up option for the middle-order. He could be an alternative to Shreyas Iyer.
India will have to wait until the New Zealand tour in October to start working with most of their first choice ODI players. Several regulars are expected to miss the ODI series against West Indies at home, which begins on September 27. At the same time, T20I players are expected to travel to Japan for the Asian Games. As a result, players such as Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh are unlikely to feature in the West Indies ODIs.
India have had several injury concerns in recent times, making good backup options important. Shreyas Iyer got injured during the ODI series in Australia last year, while Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah have also had fitness concerns. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are also getting older, so India need to prepare good backup options.
The all-rounders are another concern for India, with players like Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar having faced injury issues. India also need more bowling options in the batting lineup, as Hardik Pandya is the only regular batter in the top six who can bowl. This is why having a backup for Shreyas Iyer who can also bowl can be useful for India.
“Head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill feel there isn’t any backup ready for the middle order. With Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy being prone to injuries, they want someone in the top order who can at least chip in with four overs in an ODI,” a source told TOI.
Is Tilak Varma a right choice as back-up of Shreyas Iyer for ODI World Cup 2027?
Here are some of the reasons why Tilak Varma could be a good back-up option for Shreyas Iyer in India’s ODI World Cup 2027 squad.
Gives India a Left Handed Option
India’s top six has mostly been made up of right handed batters, with Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya. Tilak Varma can give India a left handed option in the middle-order and add more variety to the batting lineup.
Good record in List A Record
Tilak has played only five ODIs so far, but his List A record is impressive. He has scored 2,142 runs in 52 matches at an average of 47.60, including six centuries. He also had a good run for India A in the Sri Lanka One-Day Tri Series earlier this year, scoring 275 runs at an average of 55.00.
Can also help with the ball
The Indian team management has asked Tilak Varma to work on his off spin bowling. At the moment, none of India’s top five batters regularly bowls, so Tilak can give the team an extra bowling option. His off spin can be useful in the middle overs and give India more balance.
