The Asia Cup 2025 is underway, and Team India will open their campaign against the UAE in Dubai on Wednesday, September 10. If recent form is anything to go by, the Men in Blue will start as overwhelming favorites to defend their Asia Cup title from 2023.Yet, India will also have a chip on their shoulder, having missed out on qualification the last time the tournament was played in the T20 format in 2022. Beyond the collective results, the Men in Blue also have several players under pressure to produce stellar performances, given the incredible amount of talent waiting in the wings.On top of the list is the gifted left-hander Tilak Varma, whose place has come under scrutiny ever since the 15-member Asia Cup squad was announced. While the southpaw has delivered the goods for India in the shortest format, such is the embarrassment of riches within and outside the roster that even ticking most of the boxes might not suffice in guaranteeing a permanent spot for a batter in the Indian T20I setup.On that note, let us look at three reasons why the 2025 Asia Cup could be a make-or-break tournament for Tilak Varma.#1 Several contenders breathing down Tilak Varma's neckTeam India are one of the few sides in world cricket that could field as many as three or four dominant T20I XI. Especially when it comes to the batting department, India boasts an extraordinary number of cricketers warming the benches that would likely break into any other side in world cricket.With Shubman Gill's inclusion for the Asia Cup, even Sanju Samson, who has scored three T20I centuries in less than a year, could be on the sidelines. The likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who have been perennial 600+ run banks in the IPL over the past few seasons, could not find a way into India's 15-member squad.It is a clear indication that one bad tournament can spell doom for any batter, with the possible exception being one with massive experience and performing leadership duties with success. Tilak unfortunately ticks neither box, thus making scoring big in the Asia Cup the lone option for him to hold on to his spot in the Indian T20I setup.#2 Tilak Varma's overall numbers mask his concerning recent formTilak Varma struggled for impact with the bat in IPL 2025 [Credit: Getty]There is no denying Tilak Varma's overall numbers in T20Is or the IPL are nothing short of impressive. The 22-year-old averages over 37 at a strike rate of 144.41 in 54 IPL games for the Mumbai Indians (MI).His numbers are even more impressive at the international level, with a T20I average of almost 50 and a strike rate of 155.07 in 25 outings. The highlight of Tilak's brief T20I career has been the back-to-back unbeaten centuries he scored in South Africa at the end of last year.Yet, in many ways, the monumental efforts in South Africa have seemingly masked his recent form, which has been shaky at best. In the following T20I series against England at home, Tilak crossed 25 only once in five innings, with his last three scores totalling only 42 at an average of 14.Furthermore, the left-hander was far from his best in IPL 2025, scoring only 343 runs at an average of 31.18 and a strike rate of 138.30 in 16 matches. While these numbers in isolation are passable, slim margins separate a player's selection and omission in a highly competitive Indian T20 setup.It makes piling on the runs in the Asia Cup paramount for Tilak Varma to ensure retaining his spot in the Indian T20I side moving forward.#3 Question mark on versatilityWhile branding Tilak Varma as a one-trick pony might be a touch unfair, it is also difficult to call him a versatile batter. The ability to bat at different positions across multiple stages of an innings has become a top priority in the shortest format of the sport.Tilak has shown himself to be a world-class batter at No. 3, with an excellent average and strike rate at the position. Yet, while the average remains in the 40s at No. 4 and 5 in T20Is, his strike rate drops considerably from almost 170 at one-drop to under 138 and 127 at No. 4 and 5.The tale was similar in the most recent 2025 IPL season, with Tilak averaging a sub-par 28.88 in 11 innings outside the top three. It was crystal clear that the youngster preferred batting in the top order and endured challenges in making much of an impact when batting below No. 3.The ability to be a multi-positional batter means Tilak Varma will almost always be walking a tight rope in the Indian T20I side, considering the abundance of dominant and consistent top-order batters. A poor showing in the Asia Cup could make it a point of no return for the southpaw in the Indian short-format team.