'I do whatever is required for the team...': Tilak Varma on criticism over low strike rate in previous series

Tilak Varma (Pic: File Pic)

Team India is set to clash against Zimbabwe in a three-match T20I series. The first match is scheduled to be played on Thursday at the Harare Sports Club.

Team India will enter the series after facing back-to-back defeats in the shortest format's series against Ireland and England. Ahead of the series against Zimbabwe, Team India's batsman Tilak Varma defended his approach during the tours of Ireland and England, stating that his innings were shaped according to match's situations.

Speaking about the approach, the left-handed batsman explained that Team India's wickets kept falling during the concluded away tours, following which he played with a low strike rate.

"In this game, you have to bat in different places, and especially in such conditions, it's not easy. At the same time, I always say that I do whatever is required for the team. If I have to grind it out and play for the team, I do. If I have to hit from ball number one, then I do that. So at that time, in the conditions of the team, if you look at it, from Ireland to England, you always had four to five wickets falling inside the powerplay or the first 10 overs. So going there and then getting out in trying to accelerate, it doesn't make sense," he said in a pre-match press conference.

The cricketer then said that he is trying to fulfil the responsibilities that Team India's think tank has given him.

"So that's what I always have in my mind, that I can go and hit the first ball. But at the same time, I'm playing for the country, so there are a lot of responsibilities. So what are the conditions of the team? If I have to play for the team till the end, our team's plans keep changing. When you are the vice-captain, the team gives you something after thinking about it. So I want to take the same responsibilities that the management gives me, so I'm playing according to that," said Varma.

So far, India has announced their squad for the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe.

India's squad for the series against Zimbabwe

Shreyas Iyer (C), Ishan Kishan (WK), Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma, Yash Thakur, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Tilak Varma, Ravi Bishnoi, Harsh Dubey, Suryansh Shedge, Mayank Yadav, Ashok Sharma, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

(With ANI Inputs)