Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has urged Tilak Varma to work on his set up, especially against spin, after the first T20I against New Zealand at Hagley Oval, Christchurch on Thursday.
Pathan highlighted that Varma has shown the skills to go a long way in his career. Furthermore, he has shown the potential to lead teams in the future but he needs to work on his batting technique while facing the spinners.
The left-hander struggled to get going in the series opener against the Kiwis as he trudged to six runs off 11 balls. Eventually, he was dismissed by Michael Bracewell and thus could not deliver after he was promoted to number three in the batting order.
Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube Channel, “Tilak Varma will certainly need to pay attention to his setup going forward. I am very convinced that he is a player for the future. He is also a future leader of the team, and there is no doubt that he will lead teams in the league as well.
“However, if he wants to get better at playing spin, I believe he will have to focus on his setup, both against fast bowling and spin. He definitely needs to work on that. I think he has enough ability that, if he pays attention to his setup and makes a few minor adjustments, his ability to play spin will improve even further,” he added.
On the other hand, India’s veteran seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar had a tough comeback as he returned with figures of 0-49 in his four overs. Pathan said it is not easy for a player to make a comeback after a long time.
He concluded, “Bhuvneshwar Kumar did not have a good day. It is certainly not easy, especially for a player who is making a comeback. It was a tough game for Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Just because he has been performing well does not mean you would expect him to deliver right from his very first game. It was a tough game for him.”
The second T20I between India and New Zealand will be played at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on Saturday.
