Three years ago, Rohit Sharma hailed Tilak Varma as a “three-format India player in the making,” praising his technique, temperament, and clean shot selection. But that promise seems far away after his subdued performance in the first T20I against South Africa at Cuttack. Tilak managed just 26 off 32 balls, striking at 81.3, a painfully slow knock in a game demanding momentum. To make matters worse, he fell to Marco Jansen in the same manner as Abhishek Sharma, sparking questions about his form.
Coming in at No. 4 with India reeling at 48/3 after the early dismissals of Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, and Abhishek, Tilak had the perfect platform to rebuild the innings. Instead, he failed to accelerate, couldn’t push past 30, and couldn’t shift the game’s momentum.
The drought has been long. Since his sensational Asia Cup final performance, where he scored an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls against Pakistan, Tilak hasn’t produced a meaningful score in international or domestic cricket. In Australia T20s, his only noteworthy innings was a 29* off 26 in Hobart, useful but far from the expectations India has of him.
Even in domestic circuits, including Hyderabad matches and South Africa A games, Tilak’s big innings have been rare. This is particularly concerning given his reputation as a “big-match player.” Fans of Mumbai Indians have seen him close games with composure, and Team India expects the same.
That expectation stems largely from one memorable night, the Asia Cup final where Tilak single-handedly steadied India under pressure. But cricket is unforgiving. With players like Sanju Samson and Washington Sundar waiting in the wings, Tilak isn’t just competing against bowlers anymore; he’s battling form, expectations, and the weight of Rohit Sharma’s prophecy.
