3 reasons why Tilak Varma's knock against Sri Lanka A in Tri-Nation A Series was not satisfying
(Courtesy : BCCI)
Tilak Varma is the captain of India A for the Tri-Nation A series.
India A are clashing with Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A in a Tri-Nation A series. The opening match was played between India and Sri Lanka A teams on June 9 at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Sri Lanka.
Tilak Varma was handed the captaincy ahead of this tour, while Riyan Parag was appointed vice-captain. However, Ruturaj Gaikwad replaced Parag in the role, who succumbed to a hamstring injury during the IPL 2026.
Winning the toss, India opted to bat first. With Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Prabhsimran Singh opening for India A, they had a relatively shaky start, with the team being 16-2 in merely 4.1 overs.
Priyansh Arya and the vice-captain did stabilise the innings to a point, but a lack of coordination between them led to Arya getting run out in a very poor manner.
Then the skipper and his deputy put on a 150-run stand, with Ruturaj reaching his 21st List A century in his 100th List A game. However, Tilak was unable to score brisk runs. He contributed with 60 runs in 97 deliveries.
On that note, let’s take a look at the three reasons why the India A Captain’s innings was underwhelming.
Reasons why Tilak’s innings was unsatisfactory:
Lack of Strike Rotation
The 23-year-old was unable to rotate the strike during the times when the pitch was getting tricky. It was a slow deck, and hitting a lot of boundaries was not as easy. However, a batsman always looks for ways to keep the scoreboard ticking.
In the 50-over format, this skill is very important. India were three down for just 69 runs. So the duo had to score big. To do that, one needs to keep the strike rotation on, especially with the left-right batting combination.
Poor game against Spin
For the past year or so, Tilak Varma has struggled to strike against spin. That is why his batting position in T20Is was also moved down. On a slow pitch like today’s, a batsman with game awareness against spin was vital.
His batting partner, Gaikwad, seemed very comfortable against the spinners. However, Varma struggled to settle from the beginning. He was either trying to hit too hard or had a premeditated defence.
Could not shift gears after settling in
The left-handed batsman reached his fifty in 85 balls. In his innings of 60 off 97 balls, Varma hit only three boundaries. After stumbling at the start, many thought he would pick up pace later, but he failed to do so.
As per experts, India could have reached 300 runs despite a poor outing by the openers. It would put them in a comfortable position to defend it against Sri Lanka A.
Who is the captain of India A in the Tri-Nation A series?
Tilak Varma is the captain of India A in the Tri-Nation A series.
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Cricket runs in the blood of Indians — and that’s something she truly believes in. A law student with a lifelong connection to the game, she has followed cricket passionately since his school days. Like countless young fans, she first experienced the sport on the field before deepening his understanding through constant watching, reading, and conversations around the game. Writing became a natural extension of that passion, bringing a “Pavilion Perspective” to his work — capturing how fans experience matches through their own lens.