Gautam Gambhir fuels Tilak Varma's leadership rise after T20I vice-captaincy call: 'Have to do that for India too'

Conversations with Gautam Gambhir suggest the team management views Tilak Varma as a player capable of taking on greater responsibilities in the future

Updated on: Jun 8, 2026, 17:51:07 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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For the third time in the last eight months, the BCCI selection committee has picked a different T20I vice-captain, with at least two of those appointments appearing to be part of a longer-term plan. Shubman Gill was handed the role ahead of the T20 World Cup and was widely seen as a potential successor to Suryakumar Yadav, only for the think tank to abandon that project before the home tournament. Axar Patel then replaced him as vice-captain for the World Cup campaign. Now, Tilak Varma has been entrusted with the responsibility for India's upcoming three T20I assignments — against Ireland, England and at the Asian Games.

Tilak Varma is the new T20I vice-captain

Unlike previous appointments, however, Tilak's elevation appears to be part of a broader leadership roadmap. Conversations with head coach Gautam Gambhir suggest the team management views him as a player capable of taking on greater responsibilities in the future.

Speaking to the press in Dambulla ahead of the India A one-day tri-series in Sri Lanka, where he is leading the side, Tilak opened up on his conversations around leadership with Gambhir. The youngster revealed that the India head coach wants him to treat every India A leadership opportunity as preparation for bigger responsibilities at the highest level.

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"I never dreamt of leading my country. It’s a big opportunity to learn. Leading the country is the biggest thing. I’m feeling no pressure, just added responsibility. A few days ago, I was named vice-captain, and I am pretty excited about it. When you see that VC [vice-captain] in front of your name, it means there is more maturity coming into that senior category.

"Whenever I played for India, I talked to Gautam sir a lot about captaincy, and he told me, 'Whenever you lead India A, keep this in mind that you have to do that for India also.' So, I observe a lot and learn a lot on the ground. I was prepared and got the opportunity at the right time," he said.

Tilak is not new to leadership. In 2024, he was named India A captain for the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup, where the side reached the semi-finals. A year later, he captained India A in an unofficial ODI series against South Africa A, guiding the team to a 2-1 series win.

Overall, he has led India A seven times across T20 and one-day formats, winning five of those matches. He also captained South Zone in the Duleep Trophy last season.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar cited that body of work while handing him the vice-captaincy role in T20Is.

"Shubman Gill was vice-captain leading into the T20 World Cup," Agarkar had explained last Saturday. "When we made a call to have two wicketkeepers, he missed out. Then Axar was vice-captain, replacing Gill. But like Shreyas, we're looking at what is best for the next two-year cycle.

"Tilak is firstly a terrific player. It gives him an opportunity to learn on the job as well in case the need arises."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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