Tilak Varma has been appointed as India’s T20I vice-captain under new skipper, Shreyas Iyer. This leadership change was unveiled by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday (June 6) ahead of the team’s upcoming tour of UK and the Asian Games 2026.
Unlike previous short-term appointment of Shubman Gill and Axar Patel as T20I vice-captains, head coach Gautam Gambhir and the selection panel view Tilak’s elevation as part of a strategic, long-term leadership roadmap.
Addressing the media in Dambulla ahead of the India A tri-nation series in Sri Lanka, Tilak opened up on his conversations around leadership with Gambhir.
"I never dreamt of leading my country. It’s a big opportunity to learn. Leading the country is the biggest thing. I’m feeling no pressure, just added responsibility. A few days ago, I was named vice-captain, and I am pretty excited about it. When you see that VC [vice-captain] in front of your name, it means there is more maturity coming into that senior category," Tilak, who will lead India A in the tri-nation series in Sri Lanka, told reporters.
"Whenever I played for India, I talked to Gautam sir a lot about captaincy, and he told me, 'Whenever you lead India A, keep this in mind that you have to do that for India also.' So, I observe a lot and learn a lot on the ground. I was prepared and got the opportunity at the right time," he added.
Tilak Varma's consistent track record of leading 'A' sides—including a 2-1 series win over South Africa A, a semi-final finish in the 2024 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup, and a leadership stint in the Duleep Trophy—has laid a strong foundation for his leadership roles with the senior national team.
BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar specifically highlighted this consistent track record of winning matches and leading from the front during the squad announcement presser on Saturday.
"Shubman Gill was vice-captain leading into the T20 World Cup," Agarkar said. "When we made a call to have two wicketkeepers, he missed out. Then Axar was vice-captain, replacing Gill. But like Shreyas, we're looking at what is best for the next two-year cycle.
"Tilak is firstly a terrific player. It gives him an opportunity to learn on the job as well in case the need arises."
