India’s T20I vice-captain Tilak Varma responded to criticism surrounding his strike rate during the recent T20I tours of Ireland and England, insisting that he always bats according to team requirements rather than personal milestones.The left-hander faced scrutiny after scoring 178 runs in seven T20Is across the two tours at a strike rate of 131.85. While he recorded two centuries 55 against Ireland in the second T20I and 53 against England in the fifth and final T20I questions were raised about his approach in the middle overs.However, ahead of India’s T20I series against Zimbabwe, Tilak made it clear that he is capable of attacking from the first ball but chooses his approach based on the match situation and the team’s needs.
“I can hit from ball one, but I play according to the situation”
Explaining his batting philosophy, Tilak said that adapting to different batting positions and overseas conditions forced him to take responsibility rather than pursue an aggressive strike rate.“In this game, you have to bat in different positions, and especially in those conditions, it is not easy. At the same time, I always said that I do everything the team requires. If I have to grind it for the team, I will do it. If I have to hit from ball one, I can also do that,” Tilak told reporters during the pre-match press conference.The 23-year-old pointed out that India’s repeated order collapses in the Ireland and England tours forced the middle order to rebuild the innings instead of playing freely.“From Ireland to England, we were losing four or five wickets in the powerplay or in the first 10 overs in many matches. Going and trying to accelerate immediately in that situation makes no sense. It’s always on my mind. I know I can hit the first ball, but I am playing for the country, and that comes with responsibility,” he added.
“The team plan comes before personal numbers”
Tilak also revealed that as India’s vice-captain, he is tasked with specific responsibilities by the team management and prefers to execute those plans instead of focusing on individual stats.“Everything depends on what the team needs at that moment. Sometimes I have to fight until the end, and sometimes the team’s plans change according to the situation of the match. As vice-captain, the management gives me certain responsibilities after proper planning, and I want to fulfill those responsibilities. That’s why I play according to the team’s plans,” said Tilak.
Strike rate of 131 on the UK Tour
Tilak Varma finished the 2026 tour of UK andIreland with an overall T20I strike rate of 131.85, scoring 178 runs off 135 balls faced. While his tour featured highly explosive cameos, such as a strike rate of 212.00 (53 runs off 25 balls) in the final T20I at Southampton.
| Match | Runes (Dances) | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|
| vs Ireland – 1st T20I | 19 (21) | 90.48 |
| vs Ireland – 2nd T20I | 55 (46) | 119.57 |
| vs England – 1st T20I | 13 (13) | 100.00 |
| vs England – 2nd T20I | 24* (11) | 218.18 |
| vs England – 3rd T20I | 3 (11) | 27.27 |
| vs England – 4th T20I | 11 (8) | 137.50 |
| vs England – 5th T20I | 53 (25) | 212.00 |