Azhar Echoes Rohit, Backs Tilak Varma For India Test Spot

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Even before he turned 20, Tilak Varma was hailed as a future all-format player for India by none other than Rohit Sharma.

Since then, the Hyderabad player has gone from strength to strength, showing his impressive batting skills in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Mumbai Indians.

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Last year, in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan at Dubai International Stadium, the left-handed batter bailed India out of a precarious position with a magnificent match-winning half-century.

Varma, who is also a handy off-spinner, has already become a vital cog in India's batting unit in the T20 format, scoring close to 1,900 runs from 72 matches with two hundreds and 11 half-centuries at 44.13.

The middle-order batter blends stunning strokeplay with solid temperament, which allows him to shift gears effortlessly.

All of his qualities as a fine cricketer came to the fore again on Saturday as Varma's brilliant unbeaten 51 off 26 balls guided India to a thrilling win over New Zealand in the second T20I at Christchurch.

Chasing 181, India were in all sorts of trouble when Varma walked in at 69 for four after 10.3 overs.

Two balls later, India lost Axar Patel, with the visitors needing 111 runs off 54 balls with five wickets in hand.

But Varma remained solid, stitching together two superb partnerships with Naman Dhir (31 off 17 balls) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (26 not out off 13 balls) to help India win by four wickets and take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Varma's batting quality and his ability to absorb pressure in crunch moments have already earned him a place in India's ODI team.

But former India skipper Mohammad Azharuddin echoed Rohit Sharma's sentiments that Varma is a genuine all-format player who also deserves a place in the Indian Test team.

"I am very happy with the way Tilak Varma has played. He is a very good player, and I sincerely hope and pray that he gets the opportunity to play Test cricket,” Azhar, one of India's greatest Test batters of all time, told ANI.

“For me, Test cricket is the most important format, and I hope he goes on to represent India in Tests as well.

“He has been performing very well in T20 cricket, and I think he played a crucial role in ensuring India's victory.”

Varma, who has played five ODIs, hasn't been picked for the 50-over series against New Zealand, which will take place after the T20Is.

The 23-year-old is also not part of the Test team picked for the two-match series against the Kiwis.

But for someone who has a very impressive first-class record - 1,828 runs in 25 matches at an average of 57.12, with five centuries and seven fifties for Hyderabad - Varma will soon become a selection headache for India in Test cricket.

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