Tilak Varma plays a shot during the third T20I. (AP photo) NEW DELHI: Tilak Varma’s rise in Indian cricket has been rapid, but he crossed a symbolic milestone in Dharamshala on Sunday. The 23-year-old left-hander went past Virat Kohli – long regarded as the gold standard in run-chasing – to become the batsman with the highest T20I run average in the world, underscoring his growing reputation as one of India’s most reliable performers in the shortest format.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Tilak played a knock at No.3 in the third T20I against South Africa that was atypical in pace but rich in meaning. His unbeaten 25 off 34 balls with just three boundaries was not eye-catching but it calmly guided India to a modest target of 118 in 15.5 overs. More importantly, it pushed his numbers into elite territory.
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With this innings, Tilak’s average against South Africa in T20Is rose to 70.50 – the highest by an Indian batsman against a particular opponent, surpassing Kohli’s 70.28 against Pakistan (minimum 300 runs). The bigger milestone, however, was the running chases. Tilak now averages 68.0 in T20I chases (minimum 500 runs), surpassing Kohli’s famous mark of 67.1 and tops the global list among batsmen from Test nations.
India’s highest average against a team in T20Is
- 70.50 – Tilak Varma Vs. S.A
- 70.28 – Virat Kohli vs PAK
- 67.8 – Virat Kohli Vs. SL
- 58.83 – KL Rahul Vs. WI
- 57.0 – Virat Kohli vs WI
* At least 300 points achievedLike Kohli before him, Tilak is carving a niche for himself as a chase specialist. So far, he has scored 543 runs in 16 T20I innings while batting second, with a top score of 72 not out, mixing composure with firing when under pressure. Kohli, in comparison, amassed 48 T20Is in 2013 at an average of 67.10, with a best of 94 not out – era-defining figures.
Best batting average in T20I chases (min. 500 runs)
- 68.0 – Tilak Varma
- 67.1 – Virat Kohli
- 47.71 – MS Dhoni
- 45.55 – JP Duminy
- 44.93 – To Sangakkara
Tilak’s effectiveness is enhanced by his consistency at No.3. In this position, he amassed 468 runs in 14 innings at an average of 58.5 and a strike rate of 160.27, including two hundreds and two fifties – a rare combination of volume and impact in T20 cricket.The ongoing five-match series against South Africa showed his form even more. Tilak scored 113 runs in three matches, starting with 26 in the opener and a fluent 62 off 34 balls in the second T20I.Overall, Tilak Varma now has 1110 runs from 39 T20Is at an average of 48.26 and a strike rate of 142.49, with two centuries and five fifties. The numbers suggest that at just 23, India may have already found their next great chase finisher – one who has now surpassed the ‘Chasemaster’ himself.
