Indian batter Tilak Varma has revealed that he has been dedicating considerable effort to improving his bowling as India prepares for the fourth T20 International against New Zealand. Speaking ahead of the match, he emphasised his readiness to contribute some effective overs in limited-overs formats, particularly with the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa in view.India currently leads the series 3-0, and the team aims to maintain their dominant form in the remaining matches. For New Zealand, the upcoming T20Is represent an opportunity to uphold their pride in front of home supporters.Varma, who bowls right-arm spin, discussed his bowling role with reporters, stating, “The team management and I have discussed this, and I have put in a lot of work on my bowling.” However, he acknowledged that his Mumbai Indians teammate Naman Dhir has been performing well with the ball, so there has been no immediate requirement for him to bowl in the ongoing series. He added, “Right now, Naman Dhir is in the squad and bowling well, so there hasn’t been an immediate need for me to roll my arm over. But behind the scenes, I practice regularly and feel confident in my bowling. When an opportunity comes, I bowl. Right now, Naman is doing a solid job in T20s, and when someone is bowling well, you do not take the ball away from them. But whenever an opening arises, I will certainly step in and do the job.”In his T20 International career so far, Varma has taken five wickets at an average of 12.80, maintaining an economy rate of 6.09 with occasional bowling spells. Overall, he has claimed 12 T20 wickets at an average of 27.33. Meanwhile, Naman Dhir has impressed with five wickets in five innings at an average slightly above 24, including best figures of 3 for 31.Renowned for his dynamic fielding, Varma highlighted his passion for this aspect of the game rather than viewing it as a chore. He said, “I have been a good fielder since childhood. Whenever I practice fielding, I never look at it as a burden. When playing overseas, there’s wind, cold weather, and the ball wobbles in the air, but I’ve always genuinely enjoyed fielding. I never complain about spending long hours on the field. The more you enjoy it, the better the results come naturally. Being athletic naturally helps. On the field, I like taking responsibility and running hard. Wherever the fielding hotspots are, I immediately put myself there. The team also trusts my catching ability, so they prefer placing me in those key positions. That allows me more opportunities to stop runs and take catches. When you pull off good catches, the crowd and fans enjoy it too.”
Tilak Varma prepares bowling ahead of India’s 4th T20I vs New Zealand
