As Vice-Captain, I Have To Play Responsibly: Tilak on Questions Over His Strike Rate

Harare: The fall of early wickets in the UK and Ireland did not give middle order batters like him the license to go all guns blazing from the get go, said India T20 vice-captain Tilak Varma on Tuesday, insisting that his play is based on conditions and match situations.

Ahead of the first T20 against Zimbabwe on Thursday, Tilak was asked about the team's winless run in Ireland and England, its first tour after wining the T20 World Cup at home.

Tilak's approach against slow bowlers too was questioned besides his strike rate though he did make a 25-ball 53 in the final T20 at Southampton.

"In this game, you have to bat in different places, and especially in such conditions, it's not easy. At the same point, I always say that I do whatever is required for the team. If I have to play the waiting game for the team, then I will play accordingly. If I have to hit, then I hit and play.

"So at that time, in the conditions of the team, if you look at it, from Ireland to England, you always had four or five wickets falling in the power play. So going there and hitting and getting out, it doesn't make a lot of sense."

While he wants to attack from the word 'go', Tilak insisted that at times, he needs to show a bit of discretion.

"So that's what I always have in my mind, that I can go and hit the first ball. But at the same point, I'm playing for the country, so there are a lot of responsibilities.

"When you have a vice-captaincy attached your name, team must have given me that after due deliberation. So I want to take the same responsibilities that the management gives me, so I'm playing according to that," said Tilak.

Talking more about the defeats in the UK and Ireland, Tilak said the performance was down to the team not adapting to the conditions after playing majority of cricket in Asia over the past couple of years.

"Honestly, if you see, Shreyas bhai is leading a successful team right now. So, of course, there will be responsibilities and expectations. At the same point, there were different conditions in Ireland. If you look at the last two years, we played more matches in Asia."

"And after two years, we came straight to the overseas conditions, that too good side. England is a very good side. We all saw how they played in the semifinals of the T20 World Cup.So, of course, it will be challenging to play in good conditions on the good side," said Tilak.

Tilak expects Zimbabwe to come hard at them. Unlike last time, India are fielding a near full strength squad.

"Zimbabwe is also a very good team. They are a very competitive team. And you see last year when we started the series, they won the first game. We expect them to come hard at us."

On the conditions, he added: "As you can see, the wickets were good last time around. So I was talking to them, because when we played in Zimbabwe last year, our junior team came in. So at that time, almost a lot of people from that team are still here.

"So I was talking to them (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi) about how the wicket will behave. At the same point, again, we have played two series, Ireland and England. So if you look at the ground, the dimensions are very big, and it's windy and the conditions are cool. It would be an advantage having played here."