What Should Be Tilak Varma’s Ideal Batting Position in T20Is? In the T20 format, every ball is important, and batter placement is significant—and for Tilak Varma, the statistics, recent series, and team structure have come to a unified conclusion. The 22-year-old Indian left-hander is already regarded as an elite white-ball batter, and being ranked No. 3 in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20I batting rankings shows how valuable he has become.
Numbers Reveal the Sweet Spot
| Batting Position | Innings | Runs | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 3 | 13 | 443 | 169.7 |
| No. 4 | 8 | 256 | 137.6 |
| No. 5 | 2 | 43 | 126.5 |
| No. 6 | 1 | 7 | 350.0 |
The stats show that Tilak has his best strike rate when batting No. 3, and No. 4 produces a solid if unspectacular number. Drop him into No. 5 or lower, and the return drops off the cliff.
Also Read: ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 Final Equals Men’s T20 WC Viewership Record
Tilak’s average at No. 3 and No. 4 is 56.68 with a combined strike rate of 148.68, a staggering return for a young batter still trying to find his feet. The numbers show that he can sustain an innings and then accelerate, like Suryakumar Yadav has recently done, and Virat Kohli did in the past.
In stark contrast, if he is dropped down the batting order to No. 5 and below, his average is a measly 17.80, and an uncomfortable silence ensues. There is no ambiguity in the stats — Tilak’s true power comes if he walks in earlier and has time to build an innings.
In the series against the Australian national team, India’s order lined up in the sequence of Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and so on. For the 4th T20I of that series, he actually batted at No. 5 – a position where success has been harder for him.
The Role That Fits: Middle-Order Anchor at No. 4
Tilak’s style of play is based on timing, placement, and controlled aggression. Batting at No. 4 gives him options to regroup after losing early wickets or puts him in a position to take on bowlers in the middle overs. His strike rate of 137.6 in that position does balance intent with stability.
In comparison, the finisher role at No. 5 or 6 is about instant-on instant acceleration, and there are already hard-hitting players in that position, such as Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, and Shivam Dube. Tilak is great at absorbing pressure and maintaining tempo, which would not include coming in cold in the 17th over and swinging hard at the ball since the first ball.
Also Read: IPL 2026: Sanju Samson Back On The Table Between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals
Considering the evidence, team context and his ranking as No. 3 in the ICC T20I batting, it is a smart decision to back Tilak Varma at No. 4 with the flexibility of No. 3 when needed. Playing him at No. 5 or lower would not enforce his strengths and would dramatically decrease his value to the team.