Tilak Varma has no option but to turn things around for himself and play a key role in lifting India from the current slump
Published: July 8, 2026, 9:18 PM IST
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India’s Tilak Varma plays a shot during the second T20 International match between India and England in the India tour of England 2026 at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester, England, on Saturday, July 4, 2026. (Photo: IANS)
Following India’s heavy 125-run defeat against England in the 3rd of a 5-match T20I series at Nottingham, calls grew louder from fans and experts to bring back Sanju Samson into the playing XI in place of out-of-form vice-captain Tilak Varma.
However, former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has strongly warned the team management against making this change just for the sake of it, stating that it could end up backfiring on the team combination.
India’s new captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Gautam Gambhir are currently facing immense pressure. The team is on a 4-match losing streak, which includes a shocking 2-0 series defeat against Ireland and trailing 2-0 in the current 5-match series against England.
Samson, despite being named the Player of the Tournament during India’s T20 World Cup victory earlier this year, was dropped after the first game against England following a string of low scores (5, 0, and 1) to let 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi make his senior debut up top.
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With vice-captain Tilak Varma also struggling, managing only a sluggish 3 off 11 balls in the third T20I, questions marks are also hanging around his neck. He has had a fairly questionable strike rate in the shortest format, especially since the T20 World Cup on home soil.
The left-hand batter was given the leadership role by the Gautam Gambhir-led team management only a few months ago but things are not working out well as of now.. While many have asked to drop Tilak from the playing XI, former assistant coach to Gambhir, Ahhishek Nayar, spoke against it.
Nayar believes that dropping Tilak for Samson is not the correct solution due to batting positions. He pointed out that Samson has historically struggled when playing in the middle order at numbers 4, 5, or 6, where his average shrinks significantly as compared to his record when opening or batting in the top 3.
“I really feel that if you have to get Sanju Samson back in, you want to position him in a place where he can succeed. Now, just because you want to bring him in, you’re going to bat him at No. 4, 5 or 6. It’s not something he’s done a lot. It’s not something he’s been successful at,” Abhishek Nayar said.
Nayar argued that if the team cannot offer Samson a spot in the top three, it is far better to leave him out and back the current line-up. He emphasized that India needs to focus on better assessing English pitches rather than pressing the panic button with hasty selection changes.
“You don’t want to press the panic button. You don’t want to make changes for the sake of it. If Sanju Samson has to come in, that’s all the management has to do: position him in a place where he can succeed,” Nayar concluded.
The 4th T20I, which could seal England’s series victory, will take place tomorrow in Bristol.
