ICC World Cup 2023: Tilak Varma's World Cup Selection Possible Only If Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul Get Ruled Out - Reports

The 20-year-old batter Tilak Varma has impressed many following his India National Cricket Team T20I debut in the recently concluded series against West Indies National Cricket Team.

Tilak Varma, who plays for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), performed consistently in all five matches of the T20I series and finished as the leading run-getter for India with 173 runs at an average of 57.66 and a strike rate of 140.65.

More than the runs, the intent and temperament showed by the youngster stood out as he looked comfortable while facing the pacers as well as the spinners and he batted extremely well under pressure.

After his impressive T20I debut, Ravichandran Ashwin and several former cricketers backed him to be considered as an option for the World Cup as he brings the X-factor of being a left-handed batter, which India lack.

Although Tilak Varma has received backing from many to get picked in India’s squad for World Cup and Asia Cup, the BCCI selection committee will take a cautious approach and not risk the youngster’s career. A BCCI source said that the name of Tilak Varma will be discussed for the mega events only when KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer fail to recover and get ruled out.

“Yes, he has started well and he will surely play ODIs in the future. But what if he is pushed too quickly and it turns out to be counter-productive. You can’t play with young careers. Yes, he could be discussed but only if both Iyer and Rahul are ruled out,” a BCCI source said as quoted by PTI.

KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer Play Practice Match

On Monday, August 14, Rishabh Pant took to Instagram to share a video of a practice match where KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer were seen batting together at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, days ahead of the Indian team selection for the Asia Cup.

Shreyas Iyer has been out of action since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 and he underwent surgery for a lower-back stress fracture while Rahul has been missing out on action since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 as he sustained an injury during a game and had to undergo a thigh surgery.

Although both Iyer and Rahul have started batting practice their selection can’t be guaranteed as NCA also checks other things before declaring the players match-fit. In the case of Rahul, he should be fit to keep wickets for 50 overs and Iyer needs to field for the entire duration of the match to get the fit certificate.

“Keeping 50 overs in Sri Lankan heat would take a toll and NCA can only give him fit certificate if he is able to don the big gloves without any apparent discomfort. Also, they haven’t played anything and the first international game against Pakistan (on September 2) could be a bit too much of a pressure. But then time is of essence,” a BCCI source tracking the developments said, as quoted by PTI.

The BCCI selection committee wants to give Rahul and Iyer the best chance to get fit ahead of the Asia Cup the squad for which will be announced towards the middle or end of the week.