Rinku Singh will rejoin Team India in Kolkata on the eve of the must-win West Indies match. But will Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav tweak the winning combination? Against Zimbabwe, India chose to bench Rinku and play Sanju Samson as the second opener.
This move meant the batting order was changed. Ishan Kishan was pushed down to number three, and Tilak Varma moved down to six. Shivam Dube, the designated spin hitter, wasn’t needed with pace being the main force in Chennai.
But the touring party now goes to Eden Gardens. The surface and conditions won’t be the same. Kolkata has been a high-scoring venue, with the 200-mark getting breached twice in 5 matches. But it all depends on the pitch getting used, the black or red soil, and whether it has any wear and tear on it.
Spin issue solved
What we saw against Zimbabwe was that India was better equipped to handle spin and pace. Samson’s inclusion as opener meant the opposition couldn’t use the off-spinner in the powerplay. In the middle overs, Dube and Axar Patel could handle it. As for pace, all Indian batters are proficient against it.
Some weren’t certain about Tilak batting at number four or below. The southpaw was getting stuck in the middle overs due to his issues against spin. It was evident in the previous matches. He did well against fast bowlers, in the powerplay and outside it.
Tilak Varma stats by bowling type in T20 World Cup 2026
| Bowling Type | Innings | Runs | Balls | Out | Average | Strike Rate | Dot Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pace | 6 | 106 | 58 | 3 | 35.33 | 182.75 | 17 | 10 | 6 |
| Spin | 4 | 45 | 48 | 2 | 22.50 | 93.75 | 23 | 4 | 1 |
Tilak Varma, India’s new finisher?
If Tilak was pushed out, what would Hardik Pandya do? Some wondered. And if Pandya comes ahead, can Tilak finish the match? Well, he answered these questions against Zimbabwe. The 23-year-old remained unbeaten on 44 (16), propelling India to 256.
He didn’t face one delivery of spin, and it was evident that Tilak had no issue accelerating now. Samson’s inclusion solved each problem. No slowdown against spin, no matchup issues, and plentiful runs at the backend. This means Rinku won’t play in the India vs West Indies match, and Tilak might just take over as the finisher.
India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate was asked about Tilak’s position and stated that he’ll play as a floater. But pointed out that Tilak prefers to enter at the halfway mark. But he is always open to performing any role given to him.
“No, it’s not a foregone conclusion that Tilak will bat at 5. We have different entry points for guys. Tilak feels comfortable at around 10 over the entry point. It’s nice to know Tilak can perform both roles,” Ryan told reporters at the Eden Gardens on the eve of the India vs West Indies match.
Tilak Varma stats by phase in T20 World Cup 2026
| Overs | Innings | Runs | Balls | Out | Average | Strike Rate | Dot Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-6 | 5 | 75 | 53 | 2 | 37.50 | 141.50 | 22 | 10 | 2 |
| 7-15 | 4 | 43 | 41 | 3 | 14.33 | 104.87 | 15 | 3 | 1 |
| 16-20 | 1 | 33 | 12 | – | – | 275 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
