IND vs ENG 2025: Brad Hogg’s Strong Claim on Tilak Varma To Become India’s Next T20I Captain

Former Australian legendary spinner Brad Hogg envisions that the young batter Tilak Varma is certain to become India’s T20I captain in the future. The 53-year-old Aussie believes that the Andhra-born cricketer possesses brilliant leadership skills to guide the Indian cricket team to reach new heights.

The left-handed batter led Hyderabad to a stunning 5-wicket victory against Meghalaya in the Ranji Trophy 2023-24 Plate Group final. Also, he captained the India A team in the Men’s Emerging T20 Asia Cup 2024 but lost to Afghanistan A in the semi-final by 20 runs.

Considering his batting abilities, the southpaw smashed back-to-back T20I tons in South Africa that helped him secure his spot as a specialist batter in India’s 20-over squad.

In his recent outing against England, Tilak Varma remained unbeaten scoring 19 runs out of 16 balls (including 3 fours) at a strike rate of 118.75. However, Abhishek Sharma’s fiery half-century played a bulky role in India’s successful 133-run chase in 12.5 overs. This helped the hosts secure a 7-wicket victory in the series opener at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on January 22 (Wednesday) to take a dominating 1-0 lead in the 5-match T20I series. 

Brad Hogg Chooses Tilak Varma as India’s Next T20I Captain

Speaking on his YouTube Channel, Brad Hogg showered praises on Tilak’s intelligence and highlighted his potential to become India’s future captain:

“Truly Brilliant! Tilak Varma is one such cricketer I completely enjoyed watching him play. I believe he’s gonna become the future captain of the Indian cricket team in the shorter formats of international cricket. Having a smart and incredibly skilled cricket brain, it’s soon going to happen in the upcoming days,” Hogg voiced his opinion.

Batting at No.4, Tilak’s composed knock was essential in forming an 84-run partnership along with Abhishek Sharma for the third wicket. After the opener’s dismissal, the 22-year-old ensured his presence in the crease to guide India to the winning total.

Brad Hogg Applauds Abhishek Sharma’s Valiant Knock in the First T20I vs England

Brad Hogg lauded Abhishek Sharma’s fearless batting style in the series opener against England. He credited the team’s head coach and captain for supporting the rising talented batter’s abilities. Here’s what the ex-Aussie cricketer said:

“Yeah! All of a sudden Abhishek Sharma took over the game after that. There are a few moments where he missed out. But, it’s good to see that the head coach and captain backing the youngster.

This is because while batting at the top order, especially in T20 cricket, players like Abhishek need to get the freedom to express their abilities. It becomes important to take risks in the shorter formats.

If you’re getting dismissed for low scores cheaply, they want him to express himself and go after the bowling. You won’t be able to control that moment when every ball is gonna produce a little twist. In such situations, you need to back yourself up and have faith in whatever Abhishek Sharma does. I just loved watching his batting and suggest him to keep it going,” Hogg added a few more facts.

This appreciation comes as the left-handed batter smashed 79 runs out of 34 balls, which included 5 fours and 8 sixes at a strike rate of 232.35.

An Overview of Tilak Varma’s T20I Stats

Let’s take a brief look at Tilak Varma’s stats in T20Is updated till 22nd January 2025 after the completion of the IND vs ENG 1st T20I match: 

BATTING STATS:

BOWLING STATS:

Can Tilak Varma Become India’s Next T20I Captain? Final Opinion About Brad Hogg’s Statement

Tilak Varma’s ability to assess the match’s situation and adapt his playing style makes him an eligible candidate as Team India’s next T20I captain. His maturity and game awareness boast exceptional numbers in the 20-over format that impressed Brad Hogg to a great extent.

The cricketer-turned-commentator, who earlier worked with the Mumbai Indians (MI) team has closely observed the middle-order batter’s talent. He was the one who raised questions to the selectors for dropping Tilak from India’s test squad against England in early 2024:

“YES! Having spent some time with Tilak Varma before the IPL last year (in 2023) with Mumbai Indians, I feel that he is a talented player and has a great responsibility on his shoulders. But, I am shocked that he should have deserved an opportunity in the ongoing test series against England. Though he might not have accumulated many runs to his name, I believe he has the potential to become the leader of the Indian cricket team in the next few years,” Hogg commented during India’s 5-match test series against England in 2024.

Overall, this is the second instance Brad identified Tilak Varma as India’s future 20-over captain as he is amazed by the young cricketer’s on-field analytical skills.