Overview:
Tilak, who amassed 62 runs in 34 balls, defended Gambhir's approach, saying that all the batters barring the openers are flexible.
Tilak Varma said the Indian National Cricket Team is going in with a flexible batting approach in T20Is. India promoted Axar Patel to the No.3 slot in the second T20I against South Africa, but the move backfired as he scored 21 runs off 21 deliveries as the host nation suffered a 51-run defeat in New Chandigarh, allowing the Proteas to level the series 1-1.
Chasing 214 runs, the Suryakumar Yadav-led team was dismissed for 162 in 19.1 overs. Gautam Gambhir, the head coach of the team, was slammed for his experiments.
India will look to win the third contest on Sunday in Dharamsala. Tilak, who amassed 62 runs in 34 balls, defended Gambhir’s approach, saying that all the batters barring the openers are flexible.
“Everyone is flexible except the openers. I am ready to bat anywhere. Everyone is aware of the flexibility in the batting order,” Tilak said.
Tilak also spoke in favour of Axar’s promotion, saying that the batter had scored 47 runs off 31 balls after being promoted to No.5 in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup against South Africa.
“All depends on the situation. We all saw what Axar did when he was promoted in the batting order in the final of the World Cup. Everyone keeps the team first, and a player is bound to have off games. No one is thinking about the fixed batting positions. I have said I am ready to bat anywhere, and all the players have the same thought process,” he added.
India went down to South Africa in Dharamsala in 2015, but have a lead of 2-1 overall at the venue, having thumped Sri Lanka twice. The other match against the Proteas was called off in 2019.