Indian cricket has rarely had a shortage of talented batters but the harder part has always been finding players who can stay there long enough to become genuine long-term options. Tilak Varma has shown
that he is one of those players who can be a reliable middle order batter across formats. At 23, the left-hander has already established himself in India’s T20 setup and his recent performances in the Duleep Trophy have added an important skill to his development. What stood out was not simply the number of runs he scored but the manner in which he got them.
Tilak Varma shines in Duleep Trophy 2026
Tilak Varma finished the 2026 Duleep Trophy with 266 runs and was named Player of the Series. His campaign included an unbeaten 116 in the semi-final against North Zone, where South Zone had been reduced to 80/5. He followed that with an unbeaten 51 in the chase, guiding his side into the final. The final brought another example of his temperament. Against East Zone in Chennai, Varma scored 99 from 211 balls, missing out on a ninth first-class century by just one run. South Zone eventually lost the final on first-innings lead, but Varma’s knock was another reminder that his batting is not restricted to the shorter formats.
Tilak’s first-class record gives the recent Duleep Trophy performances more context. Before the latest tournament, he had scored 1562 runs in 23 matches at an average of 50.38, with seven centuries and five fifties. His List A record is similarly impressive, with 2142 runs at 47.60 from 52 matches. His progress has been visible since his early days with Hyderabad, while his performances for Mumbai Indians helped bring him into the spotlight. The IPL gave him a platform, but domestic cricket has shown that there is considerably more to his game than attacking strokes in the middle order.
– Duleep Trophy ✅
– Player of the series ✅
– Hundred in Semi-final ✅
– 99 in Final ✅CAPTAIN TILAK VARMA FOR YOU – Great news for Indian Cricket. https://t.co/Gqz3nj7cBU
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 10, 2026
The Indian team has plenty of aggressive white-ball batters, but a middle-order player who can change gears according to the situation is more valuable. Varma has shown that he can attack when required, but his recent red-ball performances also suggest he is comfortable staying at the crease and absorbing pressure. That ability to play different roles could eventually become his biggest strength.
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India already knows what he can do in T20 cricket. He has played 49 T20Is and scored 1,390 runs at an average of 44.83, including two centuries. His international T20 record has already established him as one of India’s more reliable young middle-order batters. The next question is whether he can turn that promise into something bigger. His ODI career has not yet reached the same level, with only five matches so far. That means there is still plenty for Varma to prove before he can be considered a certainty across formats.
