India's Asia Cup 2023 Squad: THIS Player Could Be Surprise Pick After Brilliant Show In IND vs WI Series

Tilak Varma has scored 139 runs in 3 matches so far at an average of 69.50 and strike rate of 139 in the T20I series vs West Indies, including one half-century.

Tilak Varma. (Source: ANI)

Tilak Varma has impressed the fans and experts of the game after his stellar show in the first three T20Is. In the first match, when none of the Indian batters clicked, debutant Tilak struck 39 off just 22 balls. In the second match, he was yet again the best batter for Team India, scoring his maiden T20I fifty. He followed it up with another brilliant knock, finishing unbeaten on 49 off 37 balls. He could have easily ended up with his second consecutive fifty had Hardik Pandya decided to give strike back to him.

Former India chief selector MSK Prasad is mighty pleased with Tilak and wants him in the India squad for the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023. Not to forget, even Team India captain Rohit Sharma had praised Tilak Varma for his brilliant show in the T20Is vs West Indies. What had amazed everyone is the kind of maturity with which he is batting in his debut series. That is why the call for his selection in India squad is being raised by former cricketers and fans. 

Maturity with the bat _
Breathtaking shots _
What's the wrist band story _

Get to know it all in this special and hilarious chat from Guyana ft. @surya_14kumar & @TilakV9 __ - By @ameyatilak

Full Interview __ #TeamIndia | #WIvIND https://t.co/7eeiwO8Qbf pic.twitter.com/TVVUvV3p7g — BCCI (@BCCI) August 9, 2023

Prasad feels that India must stick with Shreyas Iyer at the No 4 spot. However, if Shreyas is not fit by the time the squad for World Cup is picked then Tilak could be the right choice. "First of all, we should know whether Shreyas Iyer is fit or not. So, in case, if Shreyas Iyer is ruled out, in the present scenario, one guy who fits the bill is Tilak Varma, because of his versatility, because of his ability to play fast bowling and spin bowling and also because of his ability to switch the gears as and when required. More than anything else, we don't have a left-hander at the top of the order. So all these things will definitely go in favour of Tilak Varma," Prasad was quoted as saying by India Today.

What are Tilak Varma's chances of playing ODI World Cup?

If India had a stable playing XI right now, there would be no talk of a young player, who just made an impressive debut, getting into the World Cup squad. But that's not the case. India have plenty of problems, especially in the middle order with KL Rahul and Iyer both racing against time to get fit by World Cup. Tilak has surely shown great temperament batting at that crucial spot, even if in T20s. His selection (or not) will depend on availability of Iyer in Asia Cup. KL Rahu's ideal replacement will not be Tilak but a wicketkeeper and batter, who can bat at no 5.

So, if Iyer is unable to recover by Asia Cup, Tilak can be tried out during the tournament. He will have the cushion of Virat Kohli at No 3 and KL Rahul (if fit) and Hardik Pandya below him in the batting order. If Tilak shows the same form, level of temperament and maturity in Asia Cup, then who knows he might be playing the World Cup too.