“It seemed like he was playing a club game” - Wasim Jaffer highly impressed with Tilak Varma’s batting performance on T20I debut

Wasim Jaffer praised Tilak Varma for coming up with an impressive batting effort on his T20I debut against West Indies in Trinidad on Thursday. Jaffer said that Varma batted like it was a club or state game.

India went down to West Indies by four runs in the first T20I. The hosts batted first after winning the toss and posted 149-6. At the halfway stage of the game, the Men in Blue seemed to have the upper hand, but they were restricted to 145-9.

While the visitors were disappointing with the bat, debutant Varma stood out, smashing 39 off 22. He struck sixes off the second and third ball he faced and looked in control during his stay at the crease.

Praising the young left-hander, Jaffer told ESPNcricinfo:

“He looked impressive. There were no nerves at all. The way he started, it seemed like he was playing a club game or for his state team. No pressure at all.

"He came out and backed his game. That’s the good thing about him - it shows that he’s mentally very strong. He was the only one who looked very comfortable on this pitch."

Jaffer went on to add that India would have won the game had Varma batted on for a bit longer.

“The shots that he played, not just the big ones, even the slices through third man and the other shots, shows that he was in good form. He would be disappointed that he couldn’t score 20-odd more runs.

"If Varma had got 50 or 60, India would have got home. Sanju Samson’s run-out also cost them. He was looking good,” he added.

Varma was caught in the deep as he looked to pull a slower short delivery from Romario Shepherd.

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“Ishan Kishan’s form in T20 international cricket is a little bit of a worry” - Jaffer

During the discussion on India’s disappointing batting performance, Jaffer also raised concern over Ishan Kishan’s poor form in T20Is. The latter was dismissed for 6 by Obed McCoy in the first T20I.

“Ishan Kishan’s form in T20 international cricket is a little bit of a worry. In last 15 games, he hasn’t crossed 40 and his strike rate is not impressive at all.

"That is something the management can look into. Yashasvi Jaiswal is in such good form, coming out of a breakthrough IPL. Wonder if looking at him is a good option,” the former player commented.

Kishan has featured in 28 T20Is and scored 659 runs at an average of 24.40 and a strike rate of 121.81.