India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate spoke before the must-win Super 8 match against West Indies at Eden Gardens. He confirmed that the team's batting order stays fluid. The team has not yet locked in Tilak Varma's precise position. This virtual knockout carries enormous weight. The winner claims the last available semifinal berth from Group 1. They then advance to face England at the Wankhede Stadium. South Africa has already secured passage through.
Tilak's extraordinary cameo of 44 not out off just 16 balls against Zimbabwe placed him firmly back in the spotlight. However, ten Doeschate was careful to stress that the team has not settled on him for the number five or six slot. The management continues to assess match conditions, opposition bowling tactics, and pitch behaviour before confirming any final combination. Ten Doeschate credited the Zimbabwe win in Chennai as a turning point. He stated the coaching staff now possess a far broader set of batting options than they held before that fixture.
India vs West Indies: Tilak Varma's Role Remains Open as India Target Semifinal Spot
Sanju Samson's return to the XI further reshuffled India's lineup. His brisk 24 off 15 balls accelerated the platform that ultimately produced a mammoth 256/4. As a consequence, Ishan Kishan occupied the number three slot that Tilak previously held. This pushed the younger batter lower in the order. Ten Doeschate expressed visible satisfaction with how seamlessly the players absorbed these adjustments. He pointed to the total as collective proof that India's "modus operandi" of shared contributions and sustained partnerships continues to function.
The assistant coach specifically highlighted Tilak's composure at a ten-over entry point. He described the knock as that of a natural number six who read the situation with exceptional clarity. Rather than viewing that role as a limitation, ten Doeschate framed it as genuine versatility. This proves that Tilak can perform reliably across multiple positions depending on what the specific game demands of him.
Ten Doeschate opened his pre-match press conference by underlining the squad's commitment to adaptability, saying: "We have always spoken about versatility and being able to play different roles and in different circumstances. I thought the other night in Chennai, I was a good example of that. I thought Tilak looked really good at five or six where he came in, in that role for someone who's batted three for the majority of the last 18 months. I thought he did fantastically well. And now we've got options going into this last phase of the tournament against the West Indies. Again, we will have a proper look at the pitch and decide what combination we're going to put out there."
He then turned his attention to Sanju Samson's impact and the collective nature of India's batting effort, adding: "Sanju coming back after sitting on the side for so long, he looked in good touch. He made some good choices, and he got us out of the blocks quickly. And it was not a scorecard that was dominated by anyone, but everyone chipped in. And that is sort of our modus operandi. We just want guys to focus on partnerships and keep the rate going quickly throughout the innings, and everyone did really well at that the other night. Now we do have options. We have seen at work having Sanju at the top of the order. They might play Chase, they might play Akea Hosein, we kind of bank on them playing Chase. So that is one strategy we have, and we have different entry points for the guys ideally, where they come in."
Concluding his assessment of Tilak specifically, ten Doeschate reflected on what the Zimbabwe innings revealed about the batter's growing range: "I thought Tilak the other night, he looked like a number six, he looked like someone who is really comfortable at a 10-over entry point, and I think that is a massive kudos to him, the way he has adapted his game. He played the situation beautifully, so it is comforting to know that we have a little bit more power down the middle. And like I always say, the link between getting out of the blocks quickly and setting up for the back end is the key to India's success. And it is nice to know that Tilak can perform both roles."
West Indies' potential use of off-spinner Roston Chase factored into ten Doeschate's pre-match thinking. Chase has historically troubled India's left-handers. By keeping different entry points available for each batter, India retain the tactical flexibility to counter whatever bowling combination West Indies field at Eden Gardens.
The link between a fast start and a strong finish remains central to India's strategy. Ten Doeschate concluded that Tilak's proven ability to contribute at both ends of the innings now offers the coaching staff exactly the depth they need heading into this high-stakes clash.
