IPL NEWBIES
Follow UsTilak Varma had a big responsibility on his young shoulders when he walked in the fifth over. Mumbai Indians were two down for 40 against Rajasthan Royals, chasing a stiff target of 194. Never once did the 19-year old look like he does not belong on the way to his first IPL fifty, off just 28 balls.
His 61 off 33 balls, which included three boundaries and five massive sixes, put MI in a strong position to pull off the chase. His knock included two boundaries and a six against Yuzvendra Chahal and two massive sixes against Ravichandran Ashwin. The frustration he caused was written all over Ashwin's face who resorted to send-off when he dismissed the youngster the ball after being reverse swept for a six in the 15th over.
Playing under pressure has not been a new thing for Varma. He had done it recently against a strong Delhi bowling line-up consisting Navdeep Saini, Pradeep Sangwan and Simarjeet Singh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021-22. Varma smashed two boundaries and two sixes in his 37 off 32 balls to help his side to a thrilling win while chasing 171.
The teenager's hitting prowess was also on display in the first match against Delhi Capitals as he thumped three boundaries in his 15-ball 22 as MI scored 177/5 in 20 overs.
"All our scouts were very happy that we got him. They have been scouting him for a while," MI's head coach Mahela Jayawardene said on the sidelines of the RR game.
"He has been hiding in the Indian domestic system for a while now," Jayawardene quipped while answering a question from commentator Matthew Hayden.
Unlike a lot of teenagers who make it to the domestic teams only after featuring in the Under-19 World Cup, Varma made his first-class debut for Hyderabad back in 2018 at the age of 16 and made a measured 34 off 91 balls against Andhra Pradesh.
The left-hander has also been a regular fixture in the List A setup since making his debut in 2019. He has three half-centuries and three hundreds in the Vijay Hazare Trophy from 16 innings at a superb average of 52.
His exploits with the bat also earned him a place in the 2020 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand which India won.
Even more impressive are Varma's T20 numbers. He has an average of 30 from 15 innings in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and a strike rate south of 143.8 and three fifties to his name.
Tilak's heroics against the Royals could not help Mumbai open their account this season. But, he is certain to be another addition to Mumbai's unmatchable history of unearthing and nourishing domestic talent.
