Former India National Cricket Team head coach Ravi Shastri backed the selection of the 20-year-old batter Tilak Varma in India’s World Cup squad as he called for the inclusion of three left-handed batters in India’s top 7 at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

Tilak Varma, who plays for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has become a hot topic of discussion in Indian cricket following his impressive debut T20I series against West Indies with many backing him for the World Cup selection.

Tilak performed consistently in all five matches of the T20I series and finished as the leading run-getter for India with 173 runs at an average of 57.66 and a strike rate of 140.65.

Speaking on Star Sports, Shastri said that Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja are guaranteed a place in the Indian XI and he wants the team management to include two left-handed batters in the remaining three positions of the top 7.

“There are three other positions where I think two left-handers have to come in, apart from the top four you mentioned. Now this is where the selectors’ role comes in because they are watching. They know who’s the guy who’s hot. If Tilak Varma is hot, bring him in. If you think Yashasvi Jaiswal is hot, bring him in,” Ravi Shastri said on Star Sports while discussing India’s possible XI for the ODI World Cup 2023.

Very Very impressed with Tilak Varma – Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri said that Rohit Sharma’s opening partner should be Ishan Kishan and not Shubman Gill in a bid to get variety in the playing XI.

“So if you have persisted with Ishan Kishan for the last 6 to 8 months and he’s going to keep wickets, he comes in, in any case. But get two left handers. Including Jaddu, there should be three left-handers in the top seven. Ishan Kishan has been keeping for the last 15 months. Why go somewhere else?” Shastri said.

Shastri added that Tilak has impressed him a lot and he should be India’s No.4 in the World Cup.

“Very Very impressed with Tilak Varma. And I want a left hander. If I am looking for a left hander, I would really look in that direction,” Ravi Shastri concluded on the matter.

The Men In Blue will open their World Cup campaign against Australia on October 8 in Chennai. Meanwhile, the high-profile battle between India and Pakistan is set for October 14 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.