Tilak Varma Rescues India Once Again Less Than a Week After Asia Cup Final Heroics, This Time in ODIs

Tilak Varma was the last player dismissed in the India 'A' first innings of the second unofficial ODI, falling to Jack Edwards in the 45th over.

Tilak Varma Rescues India Once Again Less Than a Week After Asia Cup Final Heroics, This Time in ODIs

Tilak Varma played an impressive 94-run innings for India 'A' in an unofficial ODI against Australia 'A'. (via India Today)

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Days after having emerged as the hero in India’s 2025 Asia Cup final triumph over Pakistan, Tilak Varma once again showed off his class in an unofficial ODI between India ‘A’ and Australia ‘A’. The 22-year-old left-hander scored a much-needed 94-run innings off 122 balls. 

Tilak Varma has emerged as one of the hottest prospects within the Indian T20I setup, since having made his international debut in 2023. Varma’s rise in the shortest format has been unparalleled, and he now occupies the world number three rank on the ICC T20I Batting Rankings after scoring over 962 runs in 32 matches at an average exceeding 50. However, his ODI career has stalled since late 2023.

The Hyderabad-born all-rounder has only played four ODIs, scoring 68 runs at an average of 22.66, with his last appearance being against South Africa in December 2023. However, after a match-winning display in the final of the 2025 Asia Cup against Pakistan, Tilak Varma might be considered for a spot in the ODI setup, given the uncertainty surrounding veteran stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s future.

To put himself up for contention, Varma showed off his best for India ‘A’ in the second unofficial ODI against Australia ‘A’ in Kanpur. The Men in Blue lost its top three out of its top four batters, including captain Shreyas Iyer and Abhishek Sharma, for just 17 runs.

Tilak Varma then took the charge upon himself, forging a 101-run fourth-wicket stand with Riyan Parag, while scored 94 runs off 122 deliveries individually, with the help of five boundaries and four sixes.

Varma’s impressive knock allowed India ‘A’ to make a comeback, and post a decent first innings score of 246 runs on the board. He was assisted in the effort by all-rounder Riyan Parag, who scored 58 runs off 54 deliveries, hitting six boundaries and one maximum. For the visitors, Jack Edwards stole the show with a four-wicket haul, while Will Sutherland and Tanveer Sangha scalped two each. 

Meanwhile, India ‘A’ already holds a 1−0 lead in the three-match ODI series, having won the first unofficial ODI by a margin of 171 runs. In that match, the Men in Blue posted a massive first-innings total of 413/6, before bowling out Australia ‘A’ for just 242 runs.

Tilak Varma’s Asia Cup Final Masterclass Earns AB de Villiers’ Praise, Brushing Aside Strike Rate Criticism

AB de Villiers was particularly impressed with Tilak Varma’s 2025 Asia Cup final innings, which helped the Men in Blue go over the line, against Pakistan. De Villiers heaped praise on the 22-year-old, while also noting that his seemingly low strike rate was precisely what the Indian team needed.

AB de Villiers on Tilak Varma
AB de Villiers praised Tilak Varma’s calm and composed Asia Cup final display. (via India Today)

Tilak Varma displayed maturity far beyond his age in the 2025 Asia Cup final, playing a composed knock of 69 runs off just 53 balls, in a challenging 147-run chase vs. Pakistan. The Indian T20I team had already lost its three top-order batters for just 20 runs on the board, and needed someone to get the innings back on track. Varma took charge, forging partnerships with Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube.

His 69-run innings consisted of three fours and four sixes, and was played at a strike-rate of 130.19. Proteas legend AB de Villiers suggested that the situation that the Indian team was in, demanded the 22-year-old to hold on to an end.

De Villiers commended Tilak Varma’s innings, impressed at how calm he was, while also exclaiming that left-hander adapted himself according to the difficult conditions. The South African said on his YouTube channel:

Tilak Varma staying really nice and calm. 69 not out off only 53 balls. It’s quite slow for him, but that’s what was necessary for the team to win that final.

Not only Tilak Varma, but the South African great also praised Shivam Dube’s brisk 33-run knock off 22 balls. He noted that the 32-year-old all-rounder justified the selectors’ faith in him, while adding that Dube and Varma have the ability to become the leaders of the side.

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