Tilak Varma: 'Just a matter of one match or one series to get back the momentum'

Indian batter Tilak Varma on India wanting to get back to winning momentum and addressed criticism regarding his strike rate during the recent Ireland and England tours.IMAGE: Indias T20I vice-captain Tilak Varma says the players have each others backs in the dressing room. Photograph: @BCCI/XKey PointsTilak Varma defended his strike rate on the Ireland and England tours, stating it was dictated by match situations and team needs.He highlighted the challenging conditions overseas and the frequent fall of wickets (four to five within the first 10 overs) as reasons for not playing recklessly.Varma emphasised his commitment to adapting his batting style, whether grinding it out or hitting from the first ball, based on team requirements and responsibilities as vice-captain.Despite criticism, Varma scored two fifties across seven T20 matches, accumulating 178 runs during the tours.India suffered T20I series defeats against both Ireland (2-0) and England (4-0) and will now face Zimbabwe in an upcoming series. Batter Tilak Varma defended his approach during Indias tours of Ireland and England, saying his strike rate was shaped by match situations rather than personal preference. He stressed that his priority is always the teams needs, whether that means attacking from the first ball or anchoring the innings.Adapting to Challenging Conditions SEE: Matter of one match or one series to regain momentum. VIDEO: BCCI/X (Shreyas) Iyer bhai is leading a successful team, so there will be responsibilities and expectations. Conditions in Ireland were very different. Over the last two years, we played mostly in Asia and then when you travel overseas and face a good team like England, like we saw how they played in the T20 World Cup semi-finals. Facing a good team in different conditions will always have its set of challenges and expectations, Tilak told BCCI in a video on their X handle.Keeping that in mind, we have to stay calm under pressure, and we should always create a positive energy within the team. Our mindset is that irrespective of the results we have to create a positive atmosphere in the dressing room and back each other. Its just a matter of one match or one series to get back the momentum. Well take the learnings from the last series and execute them here in the series in Zimbabwe, he added.Team Responsibility Over Personal PreferenceWith India frequently losing four or five wickets inside the first 10 overs, during both tours Tilak emphasised it made little sense to play recklessly. Speaking earlier at the pre-match press meet, Varma added that he embraces the responsibilities entrusted to him by the team management and adapts his batting accordingly to ensure the sides plans are executed.The 23-year-old left-hander did manage to score some runs, but he faced criticism for not adapting quickly enough to the match situation and for slowing down the teams momentum. In this game, you have to bat in different places, and especially in such conditions, its not easy. At the same time, I always say that I do whatever is required for the team. If I have to grind it out and play for the team, I do. If I have to hit from ball number one, then I do that.So at that time, in the conditions of the team, if you look at it, from Ireland to England, you always had four to five wickets falling inside the powerplay or the first 10 overs. So going there and then getting out in trying to accelerate, it doesnt make sense. So thats what I always have in my mind, that I can go and hit the first ball.But at the same time, Im playing for the country, so there are a lot of responsibilities. So what are the conditions of the team? If I have to play for the team till the end, our teams plans keep changing. When you are the vice-captain, the team gives you something after thinking about it. So I want to take the same responsibilities that the management gives me, so Im playing according to that, he added.Performance and Upcoming SeriesThe left-handed batter scored two fifties during the Ireland and England tour, one against the Men in Green and one against the Three Lions. In the seven T20 matches he played, Varma returned with 178 runs, with his highest score of 55 coming in the 2nd T20I against Ireland in Belfast. India, under Shreyas Iyers captaincy, suffered a 2-0 T20I series defeat against Ireland before enduring a 4-0 loss to England. The Men in Blue will now look to bounce back when they face Zimbabwe in a three-match T20I series, beginning July 23.