Tilak Verma’s rise in Indian cricket has been nothing short of extraordinary, and former World Cup winner Irfan Pathan believes the young star is on his way to greatness. Tilak Verma, who has become a vital part of India’s T20I setup, continues to grab headlines with his consistency, composure and fearless approach at the crease.
Since making his debut during the West Indies tour in 2023, the left-handed batsman has been a revelation for India in the shortest format of the game. In just 32 matches, he has scored 962 runs at an impressive average of 53.44 and strike rate of 149.15.
Tilak Verma eyes deep impact on maiden Australia tour
Their numbers reflect both maturity and strength. The Hyderabad cricketer’s latest match-winning heroics in the 2025 Asia Cup final against Pakistan not only won India the title but also cemented his reputation as a dependable performer under pressure.
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Building on that momentum, Tilak continued his fine form in domestic cricket, scoring 94 for India ‘A’ against Australia ‘A’ in Kanpur. The 22-year-old’s consistency has earned him a good place in India’s squad for the upcoming five-match T20 series against Australia. Notably, he is now the world No. 3-ranked T20I batsman.
Tilak Verma is moving towards greatness: Irfan Pathan
Meanwhile, Irfan Pathan is really impressed with the development of the youngster and sees him as one of India’s biggest match-winners for the future. He believes that Australian conditions will be perfect for Tilak’s stroke play, as he is successful when the ball comes to the bat well.
Irfan Pathan said in a video on his YouTube channel, “Tilak Verma has already done brilliantly. It looks like Tilak is on his way to greatness, but there is still time for him; he has to maintain his performances. After his innings in the Asia Cup final, his position has gone up in the eyes of all the experts who were watching that game. I think his ideal position is No. 3, but if he bats at No. 4, and the pitch is fast If it is, it doesn’t matter. So, I think he would love to play on Australian pitches.
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Irfan Pathan backs Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma and Jasprit Bumrah to lead India against Australia
With Abhishek Sharma’s fearless start and Jasprit Bumrah’s brilliance with the ball, the former Indian all-rounder reckons that Tilak will be the third match-winner for the Men in Blue in the upcoming T20 series against Australia starting from October 29 in Canberra.
Pathan said, “This team has three match-winners in Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma and Jasprit Bumrah. I don’t think anyone can come close to Abhishek Sharma when it comes to fearless hitting. Even in the Asia Cup, we saw that he gave strong starts to India in all the matches; except the final, he was attacking the big bowlers right from the first ball. That’s why a strong player like Yashasvi Jaiswal Still on the bench.”
