AB de Villiers believes Tilak Varma’s batting position will be a big headache for the Indian team management in the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. He opined that the balance of the side would depend on where the southpaw is slotted in the batting order.
India have previously used Varma as a floater. He batted at No. 5 in the Men in Blue’s three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe in July. The 23-year-old faced just 43 balls across three games and finished with 77 runs.
Commenting on Varma’s batting position, de Villiers said in his latest YouTube video:
“There will definitely be some selection issues with regards to the batters. Obviously, Shreyas, captain, Ishan Kishan, Samson, Suryavanshi, and then there are all-rounders, Tilak Varma, I think that’s where the balance is quite tricky. Where will he bat?”
De Villiers further emphasized that India will have to give clarity to the players regarding their roles for the series. He added:
“Really, really strong squad, but the balance will be tricky to figure out. It is T20 cricket, so they can play around with the squad a little bit. There are different roles, but the role clarification will still be incredibly important for India, as they are playing quite a dangerous team.”
Varma has shown impressive form in the ongoing Duleep Trophy 2026. The South Zone captain has recorded scores of 116*, 51*, and 99. Meanwhile, the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan will kick off on Sunday, September 13. All the games will be played at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
“Looks like he’s played international cricket for the last 10-15 years” – AB de Villiers’ massive praise for Vaibhav Suryavanshi
AB de Villiers expressed his excitement over seeing Vaibhav Suryavanshi in action against Afghanistan. He suggested that despite being a 15-year-old, the youngster has played like an experienced player.
The former South Africa captain added:
“Vaibhav Suryavanshi is obviously the big talking point. He’s still a teenager, guys, and scoring runs left, right, and center. It looks like he’s played international cricket for the last 10-15 years. Sky is the limit for him, and I absolutely cannot wait to watch him perform once again.”
After a tough start to his international career, Suryavanshi bounced back with dominant performances in Zimbabwe. He won the Player of the Series award for scoring 151 runs in three outings at a strike rate of 196.10.
Edited by Aditya Suketu Desai
