The former cricketer suggested a humorous approach for the all-rounder to secure more opportunities ahead of the Asian Games gold medal match.
Sanjay Manjrekar offered a tongue-in-cheek suggestion to Tilak Varma on how to secure more bowling opportunities in India's upcoming matches. The former cricketer's advice came as Tilak prepared for India's gold medal match against Pakistan at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan.
Before the final at Korogi Park, Tilak was asked about his readiness to bowl given the conditions on offer. In response to the question, the vice-captain responded positively to questions about his preparation and willingness to contribute with the ball.
"Yes, I have been practising and hopefully if there is a left-hander, I will be bowling 100%. Depends on the situation and the captain, but I am quite ready to bowl," Tilak said while speaking on Sony Sports.
Manjrekar's humorous suggestion for more overs
Manjrekar's response to Tilak's comments was delivered with humour during pre-match analysis. The former India batsman suggested an unconventional strategy for the all-rounder to increase his bowling workload in the team's plans. Speaking on the broadcast, Manjrekar offered his playful take on how Tilak might convince captain Shreyas Iyer to hand him more overs.
"You know what you should do, you should sulk and let the captain know that you aren't very happy with what happened in the last game. Abhishek Sharma got a couple of overs, so you should be saying that, 'If he can bowl a couple of overs, surely I can bowl at least one," Manjrekar said.
He continued with his suggestion, adding: "You pull a long face in the dressing and show that you are unhappy, and maybe that will work."
Tilak's bowling credentials
The context for Manjrekar's advice stemmed from India's semifinal performance against Sri Lanka. India's spinners, including Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel and Abhishek Sharma, claimed five wickets in under eight overs during that match. This strong bowling display led to India retaining the same playing XI for the gold medal encounter against Pakistan.
Tilak's bowling record in T20 Internationals shows he has taken five wickets at an average of 12.8 with an economy rate of 6.1. His most recent bowling outing came in the T20I series against Zimbabwe, where he delivered one over and dismissed Ryan Burl for 20 runs to claim his fifth T20I wicket. The all-rounder's readiness to bowl in the final reflected his commitment to contributing across both disciplines.