in indian cricket Virat Kohli Finding a successor will be no easy task, especially in the ODI format where the great batsman has ruled for over a decade. Kohli recently west indies Added another milestone in his extraordinary career against India, scoring his 55th ODI century and becoming the first Indian to cross the 15,000-run mark in this format. The former captain has now retired from Test and T20 Internationals and is playing only ODIs, so his eventual departure from 50 over cricket will leave a big void. However, the former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer The Giants already have a player who could potentially fill the No. 3 position.
Wasim Jaffer names Virat Kohli's ideal successor in ODI format
According to Jafar, Tilak Verma Has the qualities required to eventually take over Kohli's position in India's ODI batting order. The former opener believes that India's middle order can greatly benefit from having a left-handed batsman in the crucial No. 3 position.
Jaffer was particularly impressed by Tilak's ability to adapt to different batting situations. The youngster has previously demonstrated his ability to bat at No. 3, while also successfully adapting to the lower order when the team requires it.
“It's great to see his versatility. He first scored centuries at No. 3, and now he has adapted so beautifully to the No. 5 and No. 6 positions. It's an amazing quality,” Jafar said on his YouTube channel.
Former Indian batsman Rohit Sharma And also hinted at the future of India's top order after Kohli's eventual retirement. while he Yashasvi Jaiswal While Kohli is seen as an alternative to Rohit at the top, Jaffer sees Tilak as a possible left-handed successor to Kohli.
“It's a matter of time. When Virat and Rohit go, Rohit is, of course, a top-order batsman, and Yashasvi Jaiswal is in his place, but I think there will be a left-handed batsman in place of Virat,” He added.
Promising career of young star
Tilak's case is strengthened by his performances at various levels. Jaffer highlighted his impressive first-class record, in which the youngster averages around 55, suggesting his game is not limited to the shorter formats.
“He has that game; we saw how he scored in the Duleep Trophy. His first-class average is around 55. So, he can fit in easily in all three formats,” Jafar said.
The 23-year-old has also continued to build his reputation in India's white-ball setup. asian games 2026 In 2007, Tilak played a key role in India's successful campaign, including scoring an unbeaten 51 off just 22 balls in the gold medal match against Pakistan.
He also served as India's vice-captain during the tournament and regularly provided consistency as a finisher. His performances have further cemented that he is one of the players around whom India can build its future. Tilak has already been given leadership responsibilities as India's T20 International vice-captain. His statistics in domestic cricket, IPL with Mumbai Indians and T20 Internationals have further added to the growing belief that he can be a long-term asset for the national team.