Former Indian batter Wasim Jaffer has reckoned that Tilak Varma has the ability to be Virat Kohli’s successor once the latter retires from ODIs. Notably, Jaffer’s comments came right after Tilak’s unbeaten 51 off 22 in the Asian Games 2026 Final in Japan.
Speaking on his YouTube Channel, Jaffer asserted that the Indian ODI team can have a Southpaw batter at No.3 once the talismanic batter bids adieu to the game. He went on to add that Tilak has the capacity to fit into all three formats pretty easily.
“It feels great to see his versatility. He previously scored a century at No. 3, and now he has adapted to the No. 5 and No. 6 positions so beautifully. This is an amazing quality,” Jaffer said.
“It’s about time. When Virat and Rohit leave, Rohit, obviously, is a top-order batter, and Yashasvi Jaiswal is there to replace him, but I feel there will be a left-handed batter in Virat’s place. He has that game; we saw the way he scored runs in the Duleep Trophy. His first-class average is around 55. So, he can fit into all three formats pretty easily,” he added.
Further, Jaffer reserved special praise for the attacking opening batter Abhishek Sharma, who has been batting with more maturity lately. While Sharma previously looked to go for big shots right from the initial balls of the game, he has adapted to a cautious approach lately.
“It seems that Abhishek has matured a bit. He takes a little time, and the assurance is visible now, although this format doesn’t give you a lot of time. His earlier approach was to try to hit a six on the first ball. Now, he has understood that it was the wrong approach,” he concluded.
Notably, Abhishek scored 61 off 28 with three fours and seven sixes at a strike rate of 217.86, negating an early collapse in the Gold Medal clash against Pakistan.
