Follow UsTilak Varma has been handed the role of the designated finisher in the new-look Indian side, along with Rinku Singh. They scored 34 off 24 between them in the first T20 International (T20I) against Australia in Visakhapatnam. Tilak, who bats higher for his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Mumbai Indians (MI), says that he is learning how to finish from Rinku Singh.
"My mindset is clear. I have got a role in the team, so I just want to stick to that role. I don't have any pressure or expectations of doing well. I am just looking forward to fulfilling my role for the team," Tilak said ahead of the second T20I in Thiruvananthapuram.
"I was batting at No. 5 in the last game, so my mindset was if it is in my arc, I will go for it. Otherwise, I will just rotate [the strike]."
Tilak took on leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha before getting dismissed after hitting him for back-t0-back fours, with India still needing 75 from 7.3 overs at that juncture.
Speaking of his strategy, Tilak said, "I wanted to take charge against their legspinner because we needed 10 per over."
"So my mindset was clear: if the legspinner is bowling, I will go for it. Against the fast bowlers, Surya bhai [Suryakumar Yadav] will do the same. So in that over, I wanted to attack the leg-spinner."
"I like finishing the games"I am learning [that] from Rinku as he has been doing it very consistently, even for the Indian team. I think in the coming matches I will be doing that," the 21-year-old further added.
Tilak is hopeful of continuing his good form from the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, in which he scored 288 runs at a strike-rate of 143.28, including a highest score of 121 against Baroda.
He also has the experience of playing at the Greenfield International Stadium, the venue for the second T20I during his Under-19 days, where he was part of a Quadrangular series.
Speaking of the wicket here, Tilak said, "It was a good, seaming wicket at that time," he recalled.
"But usually, the Kerala wicket is on the slower side and turns a bit. I don't know how it is now. We will have a look today and go with the flow."
India lost to Australia in the World Cup final last week. But Tilak is not looking at the ongoing matches as a revenge series of sorts.
"On one bad day, we lost, otherwise, we had a superb, fantastic World Cup," he said.
"I am not looking to beat Australia for that. We just want to go one game at a time and follow the basics."
India lead the five-match T20I series 1-0, following a two-wicket victory in the first game in Visakhapatnam on Thursday (November 23).