'He batted with a slightly slow strike-rate' - R Ashwin’s bold statement on Tilak Varma ahead of Ireland & England 2026 T20Is

Ravichandran Ashwin came to the aid of Tilak Varma after some fans criticised the southpaw for his slow strike rate during the tri-series final against Sri Lanka A. At the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Sunday, June 21, India A defeated Sri Lanka A by 66 runs to lift the title.

During the final, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi turned heads with a 94-run knock off 29 balls. Captain Tilak also scored a half-century, but his 67 runs came off 90 deliveries at a pedestrian strike rate of 74.44. India went on to post a massive first-innings score of 377/9 before dismissing a gutsy Sri Lankan side for 311.

Amid Tilak's criticism over his strike rate, Ashwin opined that his knock complemented Sooryavanshi's blitzkrieg perfectly and helped the Men in Blue post a match-winning total.

"I also noticed a few comments on Tilak Varma's strike rate. He batted with a slightly slow strike rate. I am thinking in my head, how does this hatred come? He does perform, right? Vaibhav Suryavanshi batted fast, and Tilak Varma complemented him and got a big score," Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel, 'Ash Ki Baat'.

Tilak was one of the star performers for India during the series. He finished as the second-highest run-getter in the three-team tournament, also featuring Afghanistan A. In five innings, the left-handed batter slammed 275 runs at an average of 55 and a strike rate of 74.93.

After playing a key role for India during their T20 World Cup-winning campaign earlier this year, Tilak blew hot and cold in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. However, he received fantastic news earlier this month when he was appointed vice-captain of the Indian team in the T20I format.

Tilak replaced Axar Patel in the role and will now be the deputy to Shreyas Iyer. They will start their journeys in their respective roles during India's two-match T20I series against Ireland. Both matches will be played at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast. The first T20I will be held on Friday, June 26.