3 T20I players who deserve a chance in India's ODI squad
Mayank Yadav, Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma have each made a case through their T20I performances and List A records.
3. Tilak Varma
Tilak Varma's qualities in the 50-over format are distinct from those of a hyper-specialised T20 hitter. He brings defensive maturity, the ability to rotate strike against spin and the temperament required for deep ODI chases. In 52 List A matches, he has scored 2,142 runs at an average of 47.60, a record that reflects consistency rather than cameo contributions. Tilak has already played five ODIs for India, scoring 68 runs across those appearances, with his debut coming on September 15, 2023 against Bangladesh and his most recent ODI on December 6, 2025 against South Africa.
He was named in India's ODI squad for the 4th and 5th ODIs of the New Zealand tour 2026-27, captained by Shreyas Iyer, confirming that selectors have not lost sight of him in the longer format. He was also Player of the Match in the 2nd T20I of the New Zealand tour at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, as India won by 4 wickets. Earlier, Tilak led India A to victory in the 2026 Sri Lanka Tri-Nation Series in Dambulla and captained India A at the ACC Men's T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Oman in 2024.
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