Ever since 2012, stalwart batter Virat Kohli has made the pivotal number three batting slot his personal stronghold in one-day international cricket, establishing a glittering array of milestones from that position. Having already bid farewell to Test and T20 international formats, the 2027 World Cup looms as his likely swansong in the fifty-over game. That eventual departure leaves Indian cricket with the monumental task of finding a worthy successor for the anchor role in the top order. Weighing in on this debate, former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer has endorsed Tilak Varma as the player possessing every tool required to take up that mantle.
Transitioning into the Post-Rohit and Kohli Era
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Wasim Jaffer highlighted that Tilak Varma's greatest asset is his rare versatility across diverse batting positions. He previously demonstrated his temperament by striking a century at number three, while continuing to make strong contributions when slotted lower down at numbers five and six. Jaffer noted that the Indian team must prepare for life after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. While Yashasvi Jaiswal looks fully equipped to take over opening duties from Rohit, introducing a left-handed presence like Tilak at number three would offer ideal tactical balance once Kohli departs. Tilak's impressive showings in the Duleep Trophy and an exceptional first-class average hovering near 55 underline his readiness to transition smoothly across all three formats of international cricket.
Limited One-Day Outings Despite Consistent T20 Presence
Although Tilak Varma has firmly established himself in the national T20 setup with multiple match-winning performances, his opportunities in the 50-over format remain scarce. Over the course of his early career, he has featured in only 5 ODIs, accumulating a total of 68 runs across varied positions in the batting order. His most recent one-day international appearance came in December 2025 during an encounter against South Africa, with no further ODI selections since that outing. He was also seen in action during the Asian Games in recent times.
Stepping into the Shoes of a Record-Breaker
Replacing an icon like Virat Kohli represents an immense challenge for any upcoming cricketer. Kohli recently produced another masterclass in the series opener against the West Indies, registering his 55th one-day international hundred and taking his overall tally to 86 international centuries. During that very knock, he crossed the landmark of 15,000 runs in ODI cricket, becoming only the second batsman in world and Indian cricket history to breach that plateau. On the all-time run-scoring charts in ODI cricket, Kohli currently stands second only to the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
