India vice-captain Tilak Varma says his move from No. 3 to the middle order has brought a shift in his batting approach, with the left-hander now looking to attack from the outset whenever the opportunity presents itself.Tilak, who has established himself as a reliable performer in run chases over the past 12 months, has adapted to batting at No. 5 or 6 by balancing his attacking instincts with the need to take the game deep.“I already had the power game; I have scored runs at number three as well. Now, batting at number five or six, I think about going for a boundary off the very first ball only if it’s there to be hit,” he said ahead of the fourth T20I against New Zealand.“Otherwise, I focus on taking the game deep. I take a bit more time. Initially, I focus on singles and doubles, finding gaps for fours or two runs,” he added.The approach has served him well, including during India’s tense chase in the second T20I against New Zealand, when he combined with Nitish Kumar Reddy to guide the team through a difficult situation. India have since taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
‘The bowler is under far more pressure’
Tilak believes managing the pressure on bowlers is an important part of his approach during the closing stages of a chase. Rather than allowing the situation to dictate his decisions, he tries to remind himself that the bowler is the one facing greater pressure.“In the end overs, as a batsman, the bowler is under far more pressure than I am. That positive thought is constantly running in my head, that the bowler is under more pressure, so they are bound to leak runs.”Recalling his crucial partnership with Reddy at Hagley Oval, Tilak said he encouraged his batting partner to remain at the crease and keep the chase alive rather than worry about the result.“I just told Nitish, ‘if we pull the match off from here, it’s going to be immense fun. Let’s just stay out there, take the game deep, and see what happens’.”
India eye 5-0 series sweep
Despite having already clinched the series, India are not planning to ease off in the remaining matches. Tilak said the team wants to make the most of the opportunity to complete a clean sweep.“We are thinking this is a great opportunity to achieve a clean sweep. The next goal is to win the upcoming match and give the Indian crowd a great chance to witness a 5–0 series win.”The Indian team arrived in New Zealand shortly after completing its series against the West Indies at home. Tilak acknowledged that adapting to different conditions and a new time zone was challenging, but insisted that the players could not use it as an excuse.“At this level, we cannot make excuses. We are at the highest level, and we need to set standards for the youngsters who look up to us.“Gautam sir (head coach Gautam Gambhir) made it clear in team meetings that this is a long tour and the standard we set as a T20 side will provide momentum for the ODI and Test squads,” added Tilak.With the T20I series already secured, India will look to maintain their momentum and carry the same standards into the remaining fixtures of the New Zealand tour.
