Tilak Varma: Decoding his T20I numbers at number three
What's the story
Ajit Agarkar, the Chairman of Selectors, has announced India's squad for the Asia Cup 2025. The decision was confirmed by at a press conference held at BCCI headquarters in Mumbai. Meanwhile, Tilak Varma is among the players to watch out for in the team as his recent T20I returns are sensational. Here we decode his numbers at number three in T20Is.
Numbers
Average of 55.37 at number three
As per ESPNcricinfo, Tilak has played 25 T20Is to date. 13 of these games have seen the southpaw bat at number three. He averages 55.37 at three in T20Is, having mustered 443 runs. Tilak's tally includes a strike rate of 169.73. No other full-member team batter with at least 400 T20I runs at number three boasts a better average.
50-plus scores
Two tons at number three
Tilak has five 50-plus scores in T20Is, out of which four have come at number three. The youngster scored back-to-back centuries for India in the third and fourth T20I matches of a four-match series against South Africa last year. The achievement made him only the second Indian, after Sanju Samson, to score two consecutive T20I centuries.
Information
2nd-youngest centurion for India
Tilak's maiden hundred in the format made him the 2nd-youngest centurion for India at the age of 22 years and 5 days. Yashasvi Jaiswal boasts of the record. His century came when he was aged 21 years and 279 days.
Career
Here are his overall T20I stats
Having played 25 T20Is to date, Tilak has mustered 749 runs at an average of 49.93. His strike rate is 155.07 as the tally includes two tons besides three fifties. In Asia, the southpaw has an average of 44.33 in T20Is, having scored 266 runs. Despite Suryakumar Yadav's presence, Tiak is likely to continue batting at three in the Asia Cup.