Tilak Varma has been appointed vice-captain of India’s squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, beginning September 13. The second and third matches will be played on September 15 and 17 respectively. Shreyas Iyer will continue to captain the side in the T20I format for this assignment.
Varma’s promotion to vice-captain represents another significant step in his development within Indian cricket. However, despite his growing importance to the team, there remains uncertainty over where the 23-year-old left-hander will bat in the Afghanistan T20Is.
Tilak has moved across different positions in India’s recent T20I assignments. During the three-match series against Zimbabwe in July, he batted at No. 5 and scored 77 runs from 43 balls across the three matches. His recent red-ball form has been even more impressive. Playing for South Zone in the Duleep Trophy 2026, Varma registered scores of 116 not out, 51 not out and 99 while leading the side.
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His performances have once again highlighted his ability to contribute effectively from different positions. However, former South Africa captain AB de Villiers believes India could face a selection dilemma when deciding Varma’s batting position against Afghanistan.
De Villiers pointed out that Varma has frequently moved up and down the order in recent times. While many of his recent T20I successes have come while batting lower down, the youngster has also scored two T20I centuries from the No. 3 position.
“There will definitely be some selection issues with regards to the batters. Obviously, Shreyas, captain, Ishan Kishan, Samson, Suryavanshi, and then there are all-rounders, Tilak Varma, I think that’s where the balance is quite tricky. Where will he bat?” AB de Villiers said on his latest YouTube video.
The former South African batter praised the overall strength of India’s squad but stressed that finding the right combination will be crucial in T20 cricket. He also emphasised the importance of clearly defining each player’s role.
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“Really, really strong squad, but the balance will be tricky to figure out. It is T20 cricket, so they can play around with the squad a little bit. There are different roles, but the role clarification will still be incredibly important for India, as they are playing quite a dangerous team,” AB de Villiers added.
With several quality batting options available, Tilak Varma’s role could prove decisive in India’s plans against Afghanistan. The series opener on September 13 could finally reveal where the team management sees the vice-captain fitting into its T20I batting order.
