'Except the openers...': Tilak Varma explains Gautam Gambhir's unconventional T20I coaching style

Tilak Varma has disclosed that the Men in Blue have adopted a versatile batting approach in the shortest format to adjust to the varying conditions of different pitches. In the second T20I, Axar Patel batted at the No.3 spot but managed to score only 21 runs off as many balls, leading to their defeat in the second match by 51 runs in Mullanpur, which allowed South Africa to equalize the series.

While pursuing a daunting target of 214 runs, the hosts were bowled out for 162 runs. Gautam Gambhir faced significant criticism for altering the batting order and making some questionable changes.

The hosts will aim to take the lead when they face South Africa in the third T20I on Sunday. Tilak, who played a determined innings of 62 runs off 34 balls, came forward in defense of Gambhir's strategy, stating that apart from the openers, the batting lineup, including himself, is adaptable.

“Absolutely, everyone is flexible except the openers. I’m ready to bat at No. 3, 4, 5, or 6, wherever the team wants me. Everyone knows the batting order is flexible,” Tilak told reporters in the pre-match conference.

He also endorsed the decision for Axar to bat at the No.3 position in Mullanpur, mentioning that he had previously scored a resilient 47 runs off 31 balls while batting at the No.5 position during the final of the 2025 Men's T20 World Cup against the same team. He revealed that the other batsmen are prepared to bat at any position based on the situation.

“It depends on the situation. You’ve already seen this with Axar Patel in the World Cup—he went up the order and did well. One-off games happen. At that time, whatever feels best for the team, everyone keeps the team first. No one thinks about individual positions. I’ve said I’m ready to bat anywhere for the team, and all players are thinking the same way,” he said.

The hosts have only lost one T20I in Dharamshala, dating back to 2015, but they hold a 2-1 head-to-head record here, having defeated Sri Lanka twice in 2022. Their match against the Proteas in 2019 was called off.

Squads 

India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicket-keeper), Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar. 

South Africa: Aiden Markram (C), Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen, Quinton de Kock (WK), Donovan Ferreira (WK), Tristan Stubbs, Ottneil Baartman, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje.

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