“At least 50 per cent times he is converting fifties into hundreds” - Former selector backs Tilak Varma to do well in ODIs

Former India chief selector MSK Prasad reckons young batter Tilak Varma could be a good addition to the ODI squad, especially if Shreyas Iyer fails to recover soon.

Calls have been growing for the 20-year-old Varma’s inclusion in the ODI squad, keeping the Asia Cup and the World Cup in mind, following his impressive performances in the T20Is in West Indies. In three games in his debut international series, the left-hander has scored 139 runs at an average of 69.50 and a strike rate of 139.

Prasad, who was the head of the selection committee that picked the Indian team for the 2019 World Cup, is confident about the left-hander succeeding in ODIs, telling PTI:

“Look at his List A record for Hyderabad. He has played 25 List A games and has an average of 55 plus. Five hundreds and five half-centuries. It means at least 50 per cent times he is converting fifties into hundreds. A strike rate of 100 plus."

“I think it won’t be a bad idea provided Shreyas (Iyer) can’t make it. Only then you can think of Varma. But I am sure he will be a white ball regular for India across formats going forward,” the former keeper-batter went on to add.

In 25 List A games, Varma has scored 1236 at an average of 56.18, with five hundreds and five fifties.

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“The exciting part about Tilak Varma is that he is a left-hander” - Ashwin

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has also backed Varma as a possible backup option for the ODI World Cup. According to Ashwin, the fact that Varma is a left-hander could work to his advantage. The bowler said on his YouTube channel:

“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 (Ravindra Jadeja) is the only left-handed batter in the top 7.”

The 36-year-old further opined that since most teams don’t have a quality finger spinner, so a left-hander could come in handy for India.

The Men in Blue begin their World Cup 2023 campaign against Australia in Chennai on October 8.