Debuting Indian cricketer posts goose egg in One-Day Cup, following a productive County Championship spell.
In the opening match of the One-Day Cup tournament, Tilak Varma made his debut for Hampshire but his stay at the crease was brief. The young Indian star, who has been impressing audiences with his batting prowess in other formats, was dismissed after facing only three deliveries against Glamorgan.
The match, which was the first for both teams in the tournament, saw Hampshire lose the toss and were put into bat. The team started off shaky as Joe Weatherly was dismissed for just 5 runs off 16 balls, followed by Ali Orr who scored 45 off 44 before being dismissed.
As Hampshire struggled to find their footing, Tilak Varma came to bat at No.3. However, his One-Day Cup debut did not go as planned. He was caught by Asa Tribe off a back-of-length ball by Ned Leonard, ending his innings on a disappointing three-ball duck.
Despite this setback, Nick Gubbins and Ben Mayes stitched a rescuing partnership for Hampshire, taking them past the 200-run mark. At the time of writing, Hampshire lost no further wicket in this partnership.
Tilak Varma, who signed up for Hampshire earlier this season, marked his first entry into county cricket in the UK. Although his One-Day Cup debut was not what he had hoped for, he has shown impressive performances in other formats.
The 21-year-old made his ODI debut for India on 15 September 2023 during the Asia Cup against Bangladesh. He has also shown notable T20I performances, including multiple centuries. Notably, he scored 107 and 120 in consecutive innings in November 2024, becoming the youngest to score a T20I century against a top-10 nation and the second Indian to hit consecutive T20I hundreds while remaining unbeaten.
In English domestic cricket, Varma played for Hampshire in the County Championship where he scored a significant innings of 112 runs in July 2025, showcasing his composure and strokeplay. He is regarded as a rising star and a bright batting prospect in Indian cricket.
However, in the One-Day Cup, his debut has been less than stellar. He currently averages 22.66 with 68 runs from 4 ODIs. In contrast, his averages in List A cricket and first-class matches are much higher, at 46.68 from 36 innings and 52.06 from 22 matches respectively.
Despite this, cricket fans will be eagerly waiting to see how Tilak Varma bounces back from this early dismissal and performs in future One-Day Cup matches for Hampshire. This article provides cricket updates, live scores, quizzes, latest news, team standings, match highlights, video analysis, and live match odds.
Sports news outlets are reporting on Tilak Varma's disappointing performance in his One-Day Cup debut for Hampshire, as he was dismissed after just three deliveries against Glamorgan. Cricket enthusiasts are now eagerly waiting to see how he bounces back from this early dismissal in future matches. Meanwhile, other sports headlines highlight the exciting comeback of the One-Day Cup tournament.
