Suryakumar Yadav supports India’s new no. 3 to step into Virat Kohli’s T20I role

India wrapped up the four-match T20I series against South Africa with a dominant 3-1 win. Tilak Varma made history, scoring 120 off 47 balls in the final match, becoming the fifth batter to hit back-to-back T20I centuries. His brilliant performance earned him the Player of the Series award.

T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav praised the 22-year-old for his maturity and performance, suggesting Tilak is a perfect fit for the No.3 position. He drew parallels with former captain Virat Kohli, who retired from T20Is earlier this year. “It was clear to me that someone like him, showing such promise, could step up to bat at No.3,” Suryakumar said after the fourth T20I. “We spoke about it, and he embraced the challenge. His consistency in this series has been incredible, and I hope he continues this form for India across all formats.”

Tilak, with 616 runs from 20 T20Is at a strike rate of nearly 161, has become a key player for India. His two centuries and two fifties highlight his potential. His record-breaking 210-run partnership with Sanju Samson in the final T20I was a major highlight. Samson, too, has been in fantastic form, scoring two centuries in as many matches.

Suryakumar also sees Samson, along with Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, as key options for India’s top order. “Having several strong contenders for the top spots is a good headache to have,” he noted. With such depth in the squad, India’s batting future looks bright, offering plenty of flexibility for upcoming series.