Irfan Pathan Hails Tilak Varma as India’s ‘Next Kohli’ Ahead of 2026 T20 World Cup
With the T20I retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup will mark a new era for Team India. Suryakumar Yadav will lead the side, while Shubman Gill’s controversial exclusion remains a talking point. Amid these changes, former India cricketer Irfan Pathan believes Tilak Varma could fill the void left by Kohli.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pathan emphasized Tilak’s importance to India’s strategy, recalling his match-winning innings against Pakistan in the 2025 Asia Cup final.
“Tilak Varma has batted at No. 3 and No. 4, absorbing pressure and scoring big. His knock in the Asia Cup 2025 final was outstanding — India wouldn’t have won without it. In that sense, Tilak has risen his stock exponentially. He’s playing the kind of role Virat Kohli used to,” Pathan said.
He added, “Kohli was a massive player who thrived under pressure. Even when he didn’t score throughout the T20 World Cup, people trusted him to deliver in the final. His innings created the margin that allowed Indian bowlers to dominate. The knock wasn’t flashy but it was critical.”
Currently ranked third in T20Is, Tilak has amassed 567 runs in 20 games at an average of 47.25, including four half-centuries. However, he is injured and will miss the first three T20Is of India’s five-match series against New Zealand.
Pathan highlighted Tilak’s consistency as a key differentiator. “In the Asia Cup final, India lost three wickets in the powerplay. Tilak backed his game plan, taking calculated risks while others, like Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube, played higher-risk shots. Players like Samson are not always consistent. Similarly, Abhishek Sharma plays high-risk cricket and missed crucial opportunities,” he explained.
Tilak Varma’s ability to handle pressure and deliver consistently, Pathan believes, makes him indispensable to India’s T20 ambitions.
