Tilak Varma, The Short-Format Sensation. But What's Suddenly Holding Him Back?

Three years ago, Rohit Sharma had called Tilak Varma a "three-format India player in the making" - praising his technique, temperament, and clean shot selection. Today, those words feel distant. In the first T20I vs South Africa in Cuttack, Tilak crawled to 26 off 32, striking at just 81.3 - a sluggish knock in a game that demanded tempo. What made it worse? He and Abhishek Sharma fell in copy-paste fashion... both picked out by Marco Jansen.

And the questions began.

Walking in at No. 4 with India wobbling at 48/3 - Shubman gone, Surya gone, Abhishek gone - Tilak had the stage set for a rebuild. But he couldn't kick on. Couldn't stretch beyond 30. Couldn't shift the momentum.

The drought is getting longer.

Since that blazing Asia Cup final, Tilak hasn't cracked a meaningful score across formats - not in List A, not in first-class, not even in the Australia T20s. In five matches there, his only notable effort was a 29* off 26 in Hobart... useful, but hardly the Tilak Varma India expects.

Even in domestic cricket - Hyderabad games, South Africa A matches - the big innings just haven't come. And that's why eyebrows are raised. Because everyone knows Tilak is a big-match player. Mumbai Indians fans have seen him close games with ice in his veins. Team India expects the same.

And that expectation comes from one night - the Asia Cup final.

India 20/3. Pakistan on fire. And Tilak Varma producing a calm, calculated, unbeaten 69 off 53, with 3 fours and 4 sixes - a knock still replayed in the minds of Indian fans.

But memory is short. Patience is shorter.

Especially with players like Sanju Samson and Washington Sundar waiting on the bench, ready for a chance.

Right now, Tilak Varma isn't just fighting bowlers.

He's fighting form, expectations... and the weight of Rohit Sharma's prophecy.

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