NEW DELHI: India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate is convinced that Tilak Varma is well suited to bat at number six, providing the hosts with the firepower required in the closing stages of an innings.

However, that role is not guaranteed in Sunday’s virtual “quarter-final” against the West Indies cricket team in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

After a modest run in his first five matches of the tournament where the stylish Mumbai Indians batter struggled at one down and saw his strike rate dip to 120, the team management decided to push him down to No. 6 against Zimbabwe.

He embraced the change instantly, hammering a 16 ball 44 that included four sixes and three fours at a staggering strike rate of 275.

"No, it's not a foregone conclusion that he'll bat at five or six tomorrow. I thought the other night, Tilak, he looked like a number six. He looked like someone who's really comfortable at a 10-over entry point.

"And I think that's a massive kudos to him, the way he's adapted his game. I don't think he's been short on form," Ten Doeschate replied to a PTI query on whether his new batting position is sacrosanct.

After finding it tough early in the tournament, Tilak appeared far more assured in the latter half of the innings against Zimbabwe as he dismantled the bowling attack.

"I thought that was to look back to his old Tilak and play the situation beautifully. So it's comforting to know that we have a little bit more power down the middle."

Ten Doeschate also suggested that the West Indies could consider bringing back left arm spinner Akeal Hosein and adopt a reactive approach against India.

"They (West Indies) might play Chase. They might play Akeal. We kind of bank on them playing Chase. So we have got different entry points for the guys ideally where they come in."

The assistant coach also urged patience with Tilak, noting that he had recently undergone abdominal surgery and missed four weeks of competitive cricket.

"I mentioned before, spending four weeks on the sideline, coming into the tournament and slowly building up is kind of what you expect," the assistant coach observed.

"Like I always say, the link between getting out of the blocks quickly and setting up for the back end is the key to India's success. And it's nice to know that Tilak can perform those roles," Ten Doeschate said.

(With PTI Inputs)