T20 World Cup | Tilak will bat at No. 3, says captain Suryakumar

The game of musical chairs employed by India’s men’s team — particularly in T20Is — has baffled connoisseurs and aficionados alike. The team management has, over the last 18 months, repeatedly cited the need for a ‘flexible’ middle-order, often driven by the preference for maintaining a left-right batting combination through the middle overs.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav, however, hinted at a significant shift in that thinking, suggesting that not just the openers but even the No. 3 and No. 4 slots are now set to remain constant until the Men’s T20 World Cup.

“We have come to a point where I, Gauti bhai (head coach Gautam Gambhir) and others now feel that lefty-righty combination is not always required. [In Ahmedabad] we saw Hardik batted brilliantly against left-arm spin, so that is slightly overrated,” Suryakumar said on Saturday, addressing the media shortly after India’s squad for the T20 World Cup and the preceding five-match T20I series against New Zealand was announced.

“Now we seem to have settled on Tilak (Varma) being comfortable with that [No. 3] position, and I will play at No. 4. Five and six will depend on the situation — Hardik or (Shivam) Dube — but Tilak is comfortable with No. 3.”

Throughout much of 2025, Suryakumar — who has himself struggled for runs, particularly against pace — and Tilak Varma were shuffled between the No. 3 and No. 4 positions. On occasions, Dube and Axar Patel were also tried in the middle-order. Suryakumar’s statement now suggests a more settled approach.

Tilak, who had featured at No. 3 in India’s last two T20Is, returned to his preferred position in the third T20I against South Africa after a gap of 10 months and 13 matches.

Suryakumar also underlined that India would prioritise fielding its best XI in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand rather than experimenting with combinations.

“We will be having a similar type of playing XI that will definitely play in the T20 World Cup. As you can see, Rinku Singh has come in. Ishan (Kishan) has come in. Whoever gets an opportunity, whoever starts, obviously, they will get a long run. We won’t be changing too much. We’ll definitely play our best playing element.”