“I expected more from Tilak Varma” - Irfan Pathan slams Tilak for his poor strike rate against the Netherlands

India’s No.3 batter Tilak Varma has faced severe criticism from the Indian cricketing fraternity after his slow knock against the Netherlands on Wednesday, February 18. Now, the former Indian all-rounder and commentator Irfan Pathan also joined the queue. 

Batting at No.3 in Ahmedabad, Tilak struggled to score runs at a quick pace on a flat wicket as he ended up scoring only 31 runs off 27 balls with three fours and a six as India lost three wickets for 69 runs in nine overs.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pathan reckoned that he was expecting a better strike rate from a batter like Tilak Varma on a belter of a pitch like Ahmedabad. Moreover, he also stressed that India’s top-order has all left-handers, which makes the opposition's job easier in the next rounds of the campaign.

“As far as Tilak’s batting is concerned, I had certain expectations. The way he was batting in Sri Lanka, you could see that he was playing with awareness and responsibility. Ishan Kishan was scoring quickly, so Tilak was batting at around a strike rate of 100 because he did not want to lose his wicket. However, in Ahmedabad, I expected more from Tilak Varma. His strike rate should have been better because the pitch was better. That is something he will need to focus on,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel.

“In the next match against South Africa, there will be a few tactical battles. But according to me, the most crucial tactical point concerns Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Tilak Varma. All three are left-handers. What happens when three left-handers come one after another is that it becomes comparatively easier for the opposition to plan their strategy,” he added.

India will next lock horns with South Africa in the Super 8 clash in Ahmedabad on Sunday, February 22.

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