During a training session leading up to their pivotal T20 World Cup 2026 match against Zimbabwe in Chennai on the 26th of February, Indian batter Tilak Varma appeared to be visibly frustrated. With India needing to win this fixture to remain in contention, the pressure is clearly mounting on the young left-hander. While practicing against short bowling at the nets using a sidearm thrower, Tilak tried playing the pull shot several times but failed to connect adequately, either mistiming the ball or failing to find the sweet spot of his bat. Frustrated by his struggles, Tilak smashed the stumps with his bat in anger at the net session in a display that showcased his clear disappointment with his performance. Watch the video here: Tilak Varma smashes the stumps in frustration after failing to shine even in the nets🧐 pic.twitter.com/Zu0JxbrjUy — Samson Core (@Samsoncore) February 26, 2026 With India coming off a significant 76-run loss against South Africa at Ahmedabad in their opening Super 8 game, this must-win tie against Zimbabwe is crucial if they are to keep their semifinal hopes alive. Also Read | Will India Be Eliminated if They Lose to Zimbabwe in T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8? Tilak Varma's Struggles in T20 World Cup 2026 So far in the tournament, Tilak, batting at number three, has struggled to find form. In five matches so far, he has scored only 107 runs at an average of 21.40 and a strike rate of 118.88. The performances have read 25 off 16, 25 off 21, 25 off 24, 31 off 27 and one off two. Though he has managed to score in a couple of innings, he has not been able to score big. The strike rate also has not been of the expected variety for a top-order batter playing T20 cricket. Injury setback and the ahead in the road The problems encountered by Tilak in this tournament might also be a result of the recent injury setback that he faced in this season of Vijay Hazare trophy while playing for Hyderabad as he reported acute testicular pain and was admitted to the hospital and later missed the Indian T20I series against New Zealand at home before the T20 WC. Since his comeback in the team, he has looked to lack form and confidence, but this is indeed a perfect opportunity for him to get back to his usual self. In the high-voltage clash against Zimbabwe, India would be expecting something special from the talented southpaw.