"Someone who can serve the team for a long time" - Robin Uthappa vouches for Tilak Varma's inclusion in the ODI World Cup squad

Former Indian batter Robin Uthappa has backed the selection of young sensation Tilak Varma in the squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup at home.

The 20-year-old has taken to international cricket like a duck to water, scoring 173 runs in the five-match T20I series at an average of 57.66 and a strike rate of 140.65. Despite a shocking 2-3 defeat, he was the shining light in an otherwise dark tunnel for the side as he bailed the team out of dire situations several times.

With middle-order woes for India due to injuries to KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, as well as the struggles of Suryakumar Yadav in ODIs, Tilak could well be a surprise 11th-hour selection to the World Cup squad.

Speaking to Jio Cinema at the end of the West Indies tour, Uthappa felt the Indian selectors could discuss Tilak Varma's inclusion in the ODI team.

"Yeah. Certainly, he will be discussed by the selectors as well, because you want to look at someone who can serve the team for a long time. He seems like he's got a pretty good head on his shoulders, and he goes about his business in a very diligent way," said Uthappa.

Uthappa also praised Tilak's ability to shoulder responsibility with the side in trouble and play with tremendous composure.

"We know that he's someone who can be responsible. And even today, the kind of partnership he stitched up after the first two wickets fell, you saw him taking on responsibility, which is quite nice," added Uthappa.

Tilak Varma had a sparkling IPL season, scoring 343 runs in 11 games at an average of 42.88 and a strike rate of 164.11. This followed an impressive debut season in which he scored 397 runs in 14 games at an average of 36.10.

Overall, the Hyderabad-born cricketer boasts sensational numbers in T20 and List A cricket, with averages of 37.70 and 56.18 respectively.

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"He almost got two" - Robin Uthappa on Tilak Varma's first stint with the ball

Tilak Varma is all smiles after dismissing dangerman Nicholas Pooran.

Robin Uthappa added that Tilak Varma's ability to offer a part-time spin bowling option and the fact that he's a left-hander add further value to his selection to the Indian ODI team.

The 20-year-old picked up the vital wicket of Nicholas Pooran off just the second delivery of his international career to provide India with a slim chance of pulling off a miraculous win in the final T20I. Tilak also almost dismissed the other star batter of the day, Brandon King, but dropped a return catch.

"Then when you get the ball, like, you know, I'll try and go for it. Try and get a wicket. He got a wicket. He almost got two; he would've, had he taken that catch, the return catch. In that sense, the stuff is there. And the fact that he's a left-hander," said Uthappa.

Tilak obviously adds a left-handed option, something the team has desperately been searching for in the middle order. In addition to his batting prowess, the part-time off-spinner has picked up 14 wickets across formats in his professional career, including a List A four-wicket haul.