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Cricket PlayersAshwin’s blunt ‘below-par’ verdict on India’s batting: ‘Surya played very diligent knock, Tilak not a big power-hitter’
Ashwin also weighed in on Tilak Varma’s approach, pointing out that the youngster, returning from injury, relies more on timing and placement than brute power.
Suryakumar Yadav and Co. finished the T20 World Cup league stage unbeaten, winning all four matches. However, despite the perfect record, the batting line-up has yet to fully click and show the dominant form they are capable of, leaving room for improvement as the tournament moves into the Super 8s. In their last outing against the Netherlands, India fell short of the 200-run mark, finishing on 193/6 after a middle-overs phase that lacked fluency. Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav, in particular, struggled to accelerate, both striking at under 125 during their stays. However, the bowlers stepped up when it mattered, defending the total with discipline to seal a comfortable 17-run victory and ensure India signed off from Group A at the top of the table.
Reflecting on India’s performance, veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said the batting unit wasn’t at its fluent best despite Suryakumar's composed effort, adding that the team’s depth allows them to win comfortably even on what he termed an “ordinary” day.
"Surya played a very diligent knock. For the acceleration point, Dube, Hardik, and Rinku were there. They knew they could catch up on the scoring rate. But India wasn't extremely good today with the bat, not extremely efficient. But it is such a solid team that even on their ordinary day, they can put you away. They were below par, not at their best," he said on 'Ash ki Baat'.
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“Tilak Varma not a big power hitter”
Ashwin also weighed in on Tilak Varma’s approach, pointing out that the youngster, returning from injury, relies more on timing and placement than brute power, stressing that effectiveness in T20 cricket isn’t limited to big-hitting alone.
“Tilak Varma is coming back after an injury. We talk about power and strength but sweet spot and timing as the basic essence of batting. Tilak is not a big power hitter. For him timing and sweet spot are most important. Please remember you can play like Vaibhav but you can also play like Tilak, who relies on timing and picks the gaps,” he added.
India’s Super 8 journey begins on February 22 in Ahmedabad with a marquee showdown against South Africa. They then head south to Chennai for their next assignment against Zimbabwe before wrapping up the stage in Kolkata, where a high-profile contest against the West Indies awaits.
