In addition to openly discussing how challenging it has been for him to adjust to batting in the lower middle order for India in T20 Internationals, Tilak Varma has disclosed that number three is his preferred batting position. Prior to the current India vs. West Indies T20I series, which started on October 6, 2026, in Lucknow, where he is acting as vice-captain, the left-hander made these comments.
Since making his T20I debut against the West Indies on August 3, 2023, Tilak has batted in a variety of positions, from opener to number six. Despite this, he disclosed that he has always been an opener and that his preferred batting position has been in the top order.
I like to bat in the top order, as I always say. I’ve always enjoyed batting third. I started out at number three in the Under-19 World Cup. I played at number four in the IPL after that, then at numbers five and six. I continued to play almost every position as a result. I’ve been an opener since I was a young child, so if you tell me to open now, I will. However, I truly enjoy batting at three,” Tilak remarked.
Why has it been difficult for Tilak Varma to move to the lower order?
Since the June 2026 tour of the UK, Tilak has primarily been used in the lower middle order for India. Fifteen of those sixteen T20I innings have come at number five or lower. In those games, he has amassed 327 runs at an average of 46.71 and a strike rate of 145.33, demonstrating a solid adaptation to the demands of that position.
Despite those figures, he has been transparent about the technical and mental effort needed to make that change. When batting lower down, the mechanics are very different from when batting at three or four. Older balls, slower deliveries, and yorkers are all more common. He took on this challenge head-on. You can easily shift from opener to three because the difference won’t be that great.
There won’t be much of a difference from three to four either. It has been very difficult to go from being a number three or four player to batting at six or seven. However, there is nothing else you can do when the team needs it. That is a position you have to earn. I spent a lot of time practicing and thinking about how I could hit while remaining motionless. The bowlers hit the seam more when you bat first. The mechanics alter when you bat lower down; they bowl more slower balls and yorkers and the ball ages.
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All of these factors are relevant. I therefore mentally prepared myself and acknowledged that I had to perform here. I worked on it in practice after that. “You get that confidence once it’s executed in a match, and from there, it gets going,” he remarked.
Since June 2026, Tilak has ranked fifth and sixth in T20Is, which highlights the effectiveness of his preparation. In ten appearances at number five, he has amassed 236 runs at a strike rate of 139.64 and an average of 59, including three half-centuries. He has hit at 171.15 and averaged 44.50 in four innings at number six.
In-depth mental practice prior to every game is a crucial component of his strategy. Before turning in for the nite, he imagines his innings, considers the opposition’s bowling attack, and predicts game circumstances. When a game is coming up, such as tomorrow, I visualise and consider the bowlers that the opposition has. What kind of bowlers might be used? I simply picture myself entering this position before turning in for the nite. I always consider how I can help the team win the game.
“This is their best bowler,” I’ll think as I align myself in that way. How can I go after him? I’ll be ready once I’ve given that some thought. I’m not shocked when I step onto the pitch, thinking, ‘Oh, I walked in and this bowler came on, now the ball is doing this, his best ball is that’. I always anticipate the best. When you prepare for the best, it becomes easier if another bowler comes on. I visualise that every time I go in, and it really helps me, and I’ve seen results,” he remarked.
