{
  "id": 6882486,
  "title": "'Where will he bat?': AB de Villiers raises big Tilak Varma concern ahead of Afghanistan T20Is",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/where-will-he-bat-ab-de-villiers-raises-big-tilak-varma-concern-ahead",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-12T07:15:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/where-bat-ab-villiers-raises-071500378.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "India faces a decision in their upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan, as vice-captain Tilak Varma's batting role remains uncertain. Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers expressed concerns about the selection headache the team could face, particularly when balancing the batting order with a strong pool of established players. De Villiers highlighted the difficulty in deciding where Varma should fit, given the number of batting options available to India, including Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Samson, Sooryavanshi, and several all-rounders. The left-hander has scored 255 runs from 10 innings at a strike rate of 159.36 since the 2026 T20 World Cup, but his recent form has been inconsistent, including a poor run during India's UK tour. Despite this, India has several batting options, and the challenge for de Villiers is to find a clear role for every player in the lineup. The series begins on September 13, followed by a historic T20I against Japan and an appearance in the Asian Games 2026.",
  "summary": "As India gears up for the T20I series against Afghanistan, it faces crucial decisions in batting selection. Former cricketer AB de Villiers voices concerns over Tilak Varma's positioning in the order. With the team aiming for consistency following erratic performances, establishing clear batting roles is essential, especially with upcoming matches against Afghanistan and Japan, leading into the…",
  "key_points": [
    "AB de Villiers worries about Tilak Varma's uncertain batting role.",
    "India has nine batting options, including Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan.",
    "Series starts September 13 against Afghanistan."
  ],
  "editors_take": "India's abundance of batting options, including established players and all-rounders, complicates Tilak Varma's role in the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan, making it hard to find a clear spot for him.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "'Where will he bat?': De Villiers raises Tilak Varma concern ahead of Afg T20Is",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/where-will-he-bat-de-villiers-raises-tilak-varma-concern-ahead-of-afg",
        "published": "2026-09-12T01:45:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}