Former BCCI chief selector Kris Srikkanth has once again questioned Tilak Varma’s place in India’s T20I team, arguing that the southpaw lacks impact compared to Rajat Patidar.

Srikkanth’s reiterated his views after the recent third T20I between India and Zimbabwe in Harare, where Tilak scored 11* off 9 balls.

While criticizing the Indian T20I vice-captain, Srikkanth threw his weight behind Patidar, whose stocks have grown by leaps and bounds after leading RCB to back-to-back IPL titles.

During the IPL 2026 season, Patidar also dominated with the bat, amassing 501 runs in 14 innings at a staggering strike rate of 192.69 with five half-centuries.

Despite his stellar show, the RCB skipper failed to make the cut in India’s T20I squads picked for the UK tour, Zimbabwe tour and the upcoming Asian Games.

“Once again, Tilak ate nine balls," Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel. “He can’t play fast for too long. Where is the consistency? Tell me? What did he do in England? There will be one knock here and there. He is nothing compared to Rajat Patidar. If you want a real solid T20 knock, go to Patidar, give him a chance. Everyone is getting chances like Yash Thakur; give him a chance too," he added.

Tilak Varma's deployment lower down the order reflects tactical management of his struggles against spin during middle overs, but this does create a long-term clash with frontline seam-bowling all-rounders.

While Tilak excels against pace in death overs, he operates primarily as a specialist left-handed batter. On the other hand, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube function as dynamic power-hitters and medium-pace options.

Moreover, the Indian team management has heavily backed Tilak by naming him Shreyas Iyer’s deputy. Hence, dropping him won’t be a straightforward call.