'He came to my room at Gqeberha and said give me a chance at No. 3' - Suryakumar reveals Varma's request after second T20I

There needed to be someone to step up after a lacklustre display with the bat for India in the second T20I of the ongoing series against South Africa. The third game saw Tilak Varma go hammer and tongs to rip apart the hosts en route to a majestic 107* off 56 deliveries, a power-packed knock which comprised eight fours and seven maximums. 

India's T20I skipper, Suryakumar Yadav, was all praise for Varma's heroics. He narrated an engaging story involving the southpaw and eventually confirmed that the 22-year-old will be batting at one-drop for the time being.  

"What more can I say about Tilak Varma? He (Tilak) came to my room at Gqeberha and said, 'give me a chance at No. 3, I want to do well' and I said, 'go out there and express yourself'. He asked for it and he delivered. Very happy for him and his family. Yes, he will bat at No.3 for now," stated Suryakumar, as quoted by Hindustan Times.

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All credit goes to captain Suryakumar Yadav: Varma

Varma acknowledged his captain's decision-making and made his intentions clear as to the aspects he focuses on while going in to bat.

"All credit goes to captain Suryakumar Yadav. Before the game, he said that I am capable of batting at No.3 and he will shift to No 4. I just wanted to express myself and back my basics," noted Varma during the post-match presentation.

With the long-term No. 3 batter for India, Virat Kohli, hanging his boots since the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2024 and Rishabh Pant being committed to the tour Down Under, Varma seems to have unlocked a new role for himself. The likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Sanju Samson have all been tested at No. 3 since the global event.