Tilak Varma Emerges as Key Player for India Ahead of 2025 Asia Cup

Tilak Varma, the 22-year-old left-handed batter, is set to be a key player for the Indian team during the upcoming 2025 Asia Cup, which will be held in the UAE from September 9 to September 28. Varma was recently named in the 15-player squad for the T20I tournament.

After impressing for his IPL franchise Mumbai Indians (MI), Varma made his T20I debut against West Indies in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago, in August 2023. He made an immediate impact, scoring a fighting 39 off 22 balls, despite India's four-run loss. The Hyderabad cricketer has quickly cemented his place as a crucial part of India's T20I batting lineup.

Varma's batting stats are compared to those of his good friend, South African batter Dewald Brevis, who also made his T20I debut in August 2023. After 10 T20Is, Varma had scored 231 runs at an average of 38.50, while Brevis had 318 runs at an average of 39.75. Varma had two 50-plus scores, including a 55* against Bangladesh, while Brevis had one century and one fifty.

As India prepares for the 2025 Asia Cup, Varma's performance and development will be crucial to the team's success in the tournament.