Tilak Varma embraces captaincy lessons ahead of Afghanistan

South Zone captain and India T20I vice-captain Tilak Varma has shifted focus to the upcoming Afghanistan series after the Duleep Trophy. He is confident of quickly adapting from red-ball cricket to T20s and aims to lead India to victory

Chennai: The ongoing Duleep Trophy might not have panned out in his favour, but South Zone captain Tilak Varma has set a new goal for himself — winning the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan.

East Zone have built an overall lead of 584 runs to all but clinch the domestic season opener here, but Tilak, India’s T20I vice-captain, found some solace in an immediate chance to redeem himself.

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“Yeah, the (personal) form has been really good. But at the same point, it’s a different format (against Afghanistan). So, I should change my gears again. I’m pretty confident about it,” Tilak said after the fourth day of the Duleep Trophy final.

“My goal now is to win the Afghanistan series. So I’ll be going with the same confidence and let’s see how it goes,” he added.

India will start their campaign against Afghanistan with the first T20I in New Delhi on September 13.

But how tough is it to shift to the white-ball format after playing red-ball cricket for a little over a month?

“I would not say it is that easy, but we have got a couple of days to practise. We have also changed from red ball to white ball in both domestic and international cricket. So, this is also the same thing.

“I have played Ranji Trophy earlier, and from there I went to the international white-ball series. I got adjusted to it. So, yeah, I’m confident that two days of practice is enough and from there we can go for the Afghanistan series,” he noted.

However, the 23-year-old maintained that he sees the traditional format as his ‘A Game’.

“I have started my cricketing career professionally with red-ball cricket. But if you have seen me since the last few years, I have been playing white-ball cricket a lot.

“But as I said, red-ball has always been my favourite game, so it’s my A Game. But since the last five, six years, I have been really good with the white ball also,” he said.

The Hyderabad left-hander has also been impressive while captaining India A against Sri Lanka A recently and South Zone in the Duleep Trophy.

Tilak admitted that the experience has added another dimension to his career.

“It’s been a lot of learning because if you see now, we have got quite a few youngsters (in South Zone), and also India A when I led the side, we were also quite a young side.

“When you have great talents and that eagerness to win from each and every individual, then it is easy for the captain. There are many things I can learn as a captain. I keep growing as a captain, and right now I’m just enjoying it,” he said.

Tilak then delved into the specifics of his learnings as the leader.

“Sometimes the conditions won’t be in your favour, but how you use players then. In the white-ball format, when you are under pressure, who can be your player? That’s very crucial for a captain.

“So, when you spend time off the field with your own teammates, you’ll be knowing very much when you are under pressure, you can use which player very well,” he added.