AUCKLAND: India vice-captain Tilak Varma says moving down from number three to five in the batting order has led to a slight change in his mindset and he now eyes boundaries from ball one instead of trying to settle in first.
Tilak has built a reputation of being a chase master over the last 12 months. Even in the second T20I against New Zealand, he pulled off a tense chase batting alongside Nitish Reddy. India have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
"I already had the power game; I have scored runs at number three as well. Now, batting at number five or six, I think about going for a boundary off the very first ball only if it's there to be hit," he said ahead of the fourth T20I here.
"Otherwise, I focus on taking the game deep. I take a bit more time. Initially, I focus on singles and doubles, finding gaps for fours or two runs," he added.
While pacing the run chase, Tilak says he likes to play with the psyche of the bowlers, who are under more pressure than batters.
"In the end overs, as a batsman, the bowler is under far more pressure than I am. That positive thought is constantly running in my head, that the bowler is under more pressure, so they are bound to leak runs."
On his match-winning stand with Reddy at the Hagley Oval, he said: "I just told Nitish, 'if we pull the match off from here, it's going to be immense fun. Let's just stay out there, take the game deep, and see what happens'."
India have already sealed the series but Tilak said the team is determined to make it 5-0.
"We are thinking this is a great opportunity to achieve a clean sweep. The next goal is to win the upcoming match and give the Indian crowd a great chance to witness a 5–0 series win."
Having landed in New Zealand soon after finishing a series against the West Indies in India, Tilak said it was not easy to adjust to the conditions and the time zone.
"At this level, we cannot make excuses. We are at the highest level, and we need to set standards for the youngsters who look up to us.
"Gautam sir (head coach Gautam Gambhir) made it clear in team meetings that this is a long tour and the standard we set as a T20 side will provide momentum for the ODI and Test squads," added Tilak.