Tilak Varma has never made it a secret that he absolutely loves batting at No. 3. Two years back, during a tour of South Africa, he went up to Suryakumar Yadav, who was leading India's T20I side at the time, and asked if he could bat at that spot so he could play his natural game without holding back. Suryakumar, generous as ever, gave up his own position for Tilak, and the young batter made it count with back-to-back centuries.

Now jump ahead to 2026. Tilak wears the vice-captain's badge, but these days he walks in at No. 5, and at times even No. 6. Still, he insists he's happy with the role, because what matters most to him is simple: winning matches for India.

"I love batting at No. 3, I've said this many times," he told reporters on the eve of the fourth T20I against West Indies in Hyderabad. "When you bat at No. 3, you get to play in the powerplay when only two fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle. That freedom lets you swing freely. Every batter enjoys that role, especially in T20 cricket."

That said, he's quick to add that the team needs come first. "Whatever the team asks of me, I want to do it. Right now, my job is to handle the middle phase, No. 5, 6, 7. If we lose wickets early, I can take my time and stretch the game deep. But if our top three are still batting in the 14th or 15th over, I know how to start hitting from ball one."

He's been training with exactly that flexibility in mind. "I've been preparing to handle both situations. I've put in a lot of hard work, and by God's grace, it's paying off. Honestly, I'm enjoying this phase right now."

When asked what adjustments his new role demands, Tilak explained: "At No. 4 or 5, as I said, sometimes wickets fall quickly. Other times you come in with just two or three overs left and have to attack immediately. That takes mental strength. You need to believe in yourself first. If you don't, the team won't either."

He credits his coach for shaping that mindset early on. "My coach has told me since I was a kid that no matter where you bat, nothing compares to winning the match for your team. So that's always my goal. After that, I read the conditions, figure out which bowler I can take on, and which shots suit the wicket."

In the third T20I in Indore, Tilak was rebuilding the innings after India lost four wickets in three overs. But a strange run-out cut his knock short. When Axar Patel pulled Gudakesh Motie behind square leg, both batters assumed the ball had crossed the boundary rope and stopped running. What they didn't realise was that Kamil Pooran had not only stopped it but also thrown it back to the keeper.

Axar spotted the ball in time and scrambled back, but Tilak was caught off guard and run out.

"I thought the ball had hit the advertising board beyond the boundary and come back," he recalled. "Axar felt the same way. Unfortunately, I was running toward the non-striker's end, so I couldn't see the throw. Our teammates were shouting from the dugout, but I guess these things happen. Next time, I'll keep running until the umpire signals four."

Wednesday's match will be special for Tilak since it's his home ground. Hyderabad is usually a high-scoring venue, but since the pitch has been relaid recently, everyone will be curious to see how it behaves.