Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth criticized Tilak Varma following India’s shock defeat to Ireland in the second T20 match in Belfast on June 28.Chasing 155 to level in two matches, India were reduced to 19/3 in the third over when Tilak Varma came in to bat. The 23-year-old tried to control the innings but managed a slow 55 off 46 balls. Other batsmen also struggled as India failed to make a single run, losing 0-2.Criticizing Tilak and other batsmen on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth said, “Tilak Varma tried to take it to the end and become a hero. He decided to win in the end and celebrate by lifting his jersey. These goals should be chased with overs to survive and not go to the end.“You can’t play the way India did in the middle, especially Tilak Varma, Dube and Axar. All their runs were very short. You have to settle down a bit and start attacking in the middle. Otherwise, you will be out if you fail in the middle. India lost the game in the middle. Tilak Varma was only playing himself by sneaking with the same two Paxa.”Tilak also struggled in the first T20I, scoring 21 off 19 balls as India lost by 34 runs.Srikkanth also criticized India’s performance during the second T20I. The visitors went seven overs without hitting a single boundary, with Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel unable to score comfortably.“There was a stage where there were 45 balls unbounded in the middle overs. How can you win a T20 match like that? It’s a shame that medicore Ireland bowling has finished the Indian batting line-up. Even in the IPL, see how many of these Indian batsmen beat Lucknow? Because in Lucknow, the wicket helped the bowlers. In the middle and don’t take it to the end,” said Srikkanth.Prior to this, India had won all eight T20Is against Ireland. The 0-2 defeat marked India’s first loss to Ireland on the road.
