The former Australian left-arm wrist spinner Brad Hogg has reckoned that the new sensational batting superstar Tilak Varma could lead the Indian side in the shortest format of the game in the future. He feels that the Hyderabad-born has got a brilliant cricketing brain to carry the team forward.
Varma pushed Hyderabad to the Ranji Trophy final in the plate division of domestic cricket in 2024. The left-handed batter smashed two successive centuries in the T20I a few months ago in South Africa. He also started the series with an unbeaten knock of 19 runs against England during the opening of the five-match T20I series at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The Mumbai Indians’ batter was in tremendous touch in the recent 2024 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the help of 416 runs in 13 innings at an average of 41.60 and a strike rate of 149.64 with the help of three half-centuries at the best score of 65. He carried the same form in the T20Is and now has gathered 635 runs in 20 innings at an average of 52.91 and a strike rate of nearly 160, shouldering on two centuries and as many fifties.
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Brad Hogg, in a video shared on his YouTube channel, has claimed Tilak to be the future T20I leader of the national side.
“Tilak Varma is a player that I loved, and I think he’s gonna be a future captain of India in this shorter form of the game. He’s very smart, got a very good cricket brain.” The former Australian spinner, Brad Hogg, expressed.
Brad Hogg was impressed with Abhishek Sharma’s batting in the Kolkata T20I
It was a great performance from the entire eleven of the home side in Kolkata. The left-arm pacer, Arshdeep Singh, picked up the two crucial wickets of both the opening batters, Ben Duckett and Phil Salt. Jos Buttler was the lone contributor of the entire batting line-up, with 68 runs in 44 balls at a strike rate of 154.55.
None of the middle-order batters of the visitors had any idea of the spinner. Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone looked awful in trying to defend Varun Chakaravarthy as the ball went through the gate to disturb the stump of both batters.
Brad Hogg has been impressed with the batting performance of Abhishek Sharma, who drilled a fine knock of 79 runs in 34 balls at a strike rate of 232.35, thanks to five boundaries and eight sixes. Sanju Samson managed 26 runs in 20 deliveries as the opening duo put up 41 runs in 4.2 overs.
“And then all of a sudden, Abhishek Sharma was able to take away after that. Yes, he’s had a few times where he has missed out, and it’s good that he’s got the backing of the coach and captain because in T20 cricket, especially when you’re batting at the top of the order and you bat like Abhishek Sharma.” The 53-year-old addressed.
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“They want him to express himself, go after the bowling, you are going to get out for low scores, cheaply, because now and then the ball is gonna do a little bit, and you just can’t control that moment.” Brad Hogg shed light.
India chased down the 133 runs in less than 13 overs with seven wickets in hand to go 1-0 up in the series as they move to MA Chidambaram Stadium for the second game in Chennai.
“You just got to back yourself and have belief, and that’s what Abhishek Sharma does. And that’s what I love about his batting. Keep it going.” Brad Hogg concluded.