Irfan Pathan Backs Young Batter For Key No. 4 Role In South Africa ODIs
Irfan Pathan says Tilak Varma deserves a bigger ODI role after his Asia Cup heroics and calm batting.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has backed Mumbai southpaw Tilak Varma to seize the vacant No. 4 slot in the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa, describing him as a pressure-handling specialist whose stock should have risen sharply after his match-winning 69* in the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan. With regular captain Shubman Gill sidelined by a neck injury and Shreyas Iyer also unavailable, the selectors included the 23-year-old Tilak in the 15-member squad announced on November 23, marking his return to the ODI setup after a gap of over two years.
Pathan highlighted Tilak’s composure under fire, particularly in the September 2025 Dubai final, where he walked in at 78/3 chasing 147 and calmly steered India home with two balls to spare. “After that knock, his stock should’ve gone up,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel. “He takes time to settle, runs brilliantly between wickets, and has that left-hander’s advantage. The slog-sweep under pressure is a big weapon. I’d love to see him bat at No. 4 in ODIs—that’s his ideal position.”
KL Rahul will lead the side in Gill’s absence, with Rishabh Pant returning as second wicketkeeper-batter and Ruturaj Gaikwad earning a recall. The spin-all-round department features Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, while the pace attack is bolstered by Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Prasidh Krishna. The series, starting November 30 in Gqeberha, offers India a chance to fine-tune combinations ahead of the 2027 World Cup, with Tilak’s inclusion seen as a direct audition for the problematic middle-order slot that has seen multiple occupants since the last global event.
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Tilak has already impressed in 20 T20Is, averaging 47.60 at a strike rate of 147 with three fifties, but has played only four List A matches since his lone ODI appearance in 2023. Pathan believes the left-hander’s ability to rotate strike and accelerate late makes him a natural fit for 50-over cricket, especially on South African pitches expected to offer bounce and carry.
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