India have started working on their backup plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup, with the middle order emerging as one of the major areas of concern. Tilak Varma is now being considered as a potential backup for Shreyas Iyer in the top six as the team management looks to build greater depth ahead of the tournament.
The 2027 ODI World Cup will be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, making conditions involving pace and bounce an important consideration for India’s long-term planning.
According to reports, head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill believe India currently do not have a completely reliable backup option for the middle order. The management is therefore looking at younger players who can be developed into dependable alternatives before the World Cup.
Tilak Varma has emerged as one of the names being discussed for that role. The left-handed batter could provide variety to an Indian batting lineup that has traditionally featured a large number of right-handed batters.
The team management is also looking at another aspect of Tilak’s game. He has been encouraged to develop his off-spin so that he can potentially contribute useful overs in ODI cricket.
The idea is not necessarily to turn Tilak into a full-time all-rounder. Instead, the management wants him to become capable of bowling several overs when required, giving the captain another tactical option during a match.
This approach is linked to India’s concern about the lack of bowling depth among the top-order batters. If a player in the top six can contribute three or four useful overs, it could provide greater flexibility when selecting the playing XI.
Fitness is another factor behind the planning. Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy have faced fitness concerns, and the team management wants additional options available in case either player is unavailable for a major tournament.
India have recently had to make compromises while balancing batting and bowling combinations. Players such as Axar Patel and Washington Sundar have sometimes been promoted in the batting order to provide the team with the desired balance.
The management appears keen to reduce its dependence on such adjustments by developing players who can naturally fit into specific roles.
Tilak’s left-handed batting could be particularly useful in that structure. A left-right combination in the middle order can make it more difficult for opposition bowlers and captains to maintain a consistent bowling plan.
However, Tilak’s position in India’s ODI World Cup squad is far from guaranteed. The current discussion is about developing him as a potential backup option rather than confirming him as a member of the 2027 World Cup team.
His ODI experience remains limited. Tilak has played only five ODIs for India and has scored 68 runs in those matches.
That lack of experience means the next phase of his development will be important. The selectors will need to give him enough opportunities to assess whether his batting and bowling can translate consistently into the 50-over format.
The management is also reportedly cautious about moving players into unfamiliar batting positions simply to solve short-term selection problems.
Ruturaj Gaikwad’s experience is an example of this approach. He was previously used at No. 4 and scored a century against South Africa in Raipur, but he has not subsequently become a regular part of India’s ODI setup.
The selectors now appear more interested in developing players according to their natural roles rather than repeatedly shifting them around the batting order.
This could also influence the way other young players are considered for India’s future ODI plans.
Devdutt Padikkal, for example, has established himself primarily as an opening batter in white-ball cricket. The team management is reportedly reluctant to immediately move him into the middle order simply to create another backup option.
The same thinking could benefit Tilak if the selectors believe his skill set naturally fits a middle-order role.
The immediate ODI schedule, however, will not provide the clearest picture of India’s World Cup planning.
India are scheduled to play a three-match ODI series against the West Indies beginning on September 27. Several first-choice players are expected to be unavailable for that series because a strong Indian T20 squad is scheduled to participate in the Asian Games in Japan around the same period.
Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan and Axar Patel are among the players expected to be unavailable for the West Indies ODI series.
As a result, the West Indies series could feature several younger players and backup options. The selectors are also expected to use the series to assess additional wicketkeeping choices.
The more serious planning for the 2027 World Cup is expected to gain momentum during India’s five-match ODI tour of New Zealand in October.
That series should provide a stronger opportunity to assess India’s first-choice players and potential backups in conditions that can offer useful preparation for international tournaments.
The South African conditions expected at the 2027 World Cup are also influencing India’s thinking.
Fast bowling, bounce and movement could play a significant role during the tournament. India’s selectors therefore want to know which batters can handle those conditions before the final World Cup squad is assembled.
Shreyas Iyer remains an important part of India’s ODI middle order, but his fitness and ability to handle short-pitched bowling are among the factors being monitored.
Iyer suffered an injury during India’s Australia tour, and his recent exposure to pace and bounce has become an area of discussion within the team management.
That does not mean India have lost confidence in Iyer. Rather, the selectors want a dependable alternative available in case their established middle-order batter is unavailable or unable to perform in the conditions.
The need for younger backups extends beyond Iyer’s position.
India’s long-term planning also has to consider the age profile of several experienced players.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are now in the later stages of their international careers, while KL Rahul will be more than 35 years old by the time the 2027 World Cup arrives.
Ravindra Jadeja’s position is also not considered completely secure as the selectors evaluate the squad for the next major tournament.
Fitness has become an increasingly important consideration in India’s planning. Injuries can affect not only batting and bowling combinations but also fielding standards.
The selectors therefore want to ensure that younger players are ready well before the World Cup instead of trying to introduce them shortly before the tournament.
This is where Tilak’s development could become important.
If he can establish himself as a reliable middle-order batter while also becoming a useful off-spin option, he could offer India a combination of skills that is difficult to find.
The left-handed batting option would also give the team greater variety.
At present, however, Tilak’s ODI bowling remains a work in progress. The management’s desire to develop his off-spin does not automatically mean he will become a regular bowling option.
He will need to demonstrate consistency and fitness before the selectors can rely on him for several overs in an international ODI.
The next year will therefore be important for Tilak’s development.
Regular opportunities in domestic and international cricket could help him improve his understanding of the 50-over format and determine whether he can handle the demands of playing in the middle order.
The selectors will also have to assess his fielding, fitness and ability to contribute across different match situations.
India’s planning is not limited to finding one replacement for one player. The broader objective is to create a squad with enough depth to withstand injuries and changes in form during a long tournament.
The 2027 World Cup will be played across multiple countries, and tournament squads need players capable of adapting to different conditions.
A strong bench can also give the team greater freedom during the league stage. Players can be rotated when necessary without significantly weakening the overall combination.
That is the kind of depth India’s current management appears keen to build.
Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill are therefore looking beyond the immediate series and focusing on the next major ODI tournament.
The process will involve testing several players rather than settling on a final combination too early.
Tilak is one of the younger players who could benefit from this approach.
His international career has so far been more closely associated with T20 cricket, but the management now appears interested in exploring his potential in the ODI setup.
His ability to bat left-handed, contribute with off-spin and play in the middle order gives him an interesting profile for India’s future plans.
At the same time, the selectors will not want to rush his development.
The priority will be to give him the right opportunities and allow him to establish a clear role.
If Tilak performs consistently and develops his bowling, his value to the ODI side could increase significantly.
For Shreyas Iyer, the emergence of a potential backup is not necessarily a direct threat to his position. A strong backup can actually strengthen the overall squad by ensuring that India have a ready replacement in case of injury or loss of form.
However, competition for places is likely to increase as the 2027 World Cup approaches.
Every major tournament requires players to demonstrate that they can perform under pressure, and India’s middle order will be closely monitored over the next year.
The selectors are also expected to consider how each player fits into the overall balance of the team.
The ability to bat alone may not be enough. Players who can contribute in more than one discipline could receive additional consideration, particularly if India want to avoid weakening either their batting or bowling when selecting the playing XI.
This explains the emphasis on Tilak’s off-spin.
If he becomes a dependable part-time bowler, India could potentially field an additional specialist batter without sacrificing as much bowling depth.
That flexibility could prove particularly valuable in South African conditions.
However, it will take time to determine whether the plan works.
For now, Tilak Varma is being considered as a potential middle-order backup rather than a confirmed World Cup selection.
India’s management will have several opportunities over the coming months to assess his progress.
The upcoming ODI assignments, domestic performances and training work will all contribute to that evaluation.
The selection process is likely to become clearer once India’s major ODI players return to action together.
The West Indies series in September is expected to involve a relatively experimental squad, while the New Zealand series in October should offer a more meaningful indication of the team’s long-term ODI plans.
The selectors will also continue monitoring the fitness of key players, including Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
If both players remain fit and available, India’s need for a batting all-rounder could look different. If fitness problems continue, the importance of players who can contribute with both bat and ball will increase.
The same applies to the senior players.
India’s selectors have to plan for the possibility that some experienced names may not be available by the time the World Cup arrives.
Preparing younger alternatives now allows the team to avoid making rushed decisions later.
Tilak’s potential promotion into the ODI planning process is therefore part of a much larger strategy.
India want a squad that is flexible, younger in key areas and capable of handling injuries without forcing players into unfamiliar roles.
The 2027 World Cup remains more than a year away, meaning there is still plenty of time for players to establish themselves.
For Tilak Varma, that could represent an important opportunity.
The young left-hander has already demonstrated his potential in international cricket, but the next challenge will be proving that he can become a dependable ODI player.
His bowling development could make the difference.
If he can consistently contribute with the ball while maintaining his batting standards, he could become one of the most useful utility players in India’s ODI setup.
For now, India’s plan is focused on preparation rather than final selection.
Shreyas Iyer remains an important part of the middle order, but the team management wants a reliable alternative ready in case circumstances change.
Tilak Varma has emerged as one of the leading candidates for that role.
The coming months will determine whether he can turn that opportunity into a permanent place in India’s ODI plans.
With the 2027 World Cup expected to feature challenging pace and bounce conditions in South Africa, India’s preparations have already begun.
The focus on backup options, player fitness, bowling depth and batting balance suggests that the management wants to avoid last-minute selection problems.
Tilak’s development is likely to be closely watched as part of that process.
If he can strengthen his ODI batting, improve his off-spin and establish himself as a reliable middle-order option, he could provide India with the flexibility they are currently seeking.
The final World Cup squad is still a long way away, but India’s planning has already started, and Tilak Varma now finds himself firmly in the conversation for a role that could become increasingly important as the tournament approaches.
