When Tilak Varma was picked up by Mumbai Indians for a staggering price tag of INR 1.70 Crore in the IPL 2022 mega auction, plenty of eyebrows were raised. The Hyderabad cricketer had shown plenty of promise in domestic cricket, however, there was a huge price tag on his shoulders to justify.
Fast forward two years and Varma is now considered one of the most high-rated prospects in Indian cricket. The youngster recently earned his maiden India call-up for the upcoming five-match T20I series against West Indies.
In his maiden IPL campaign, the 20-year-old finished with 397 runs under his belt, as he ended the 2022 season as MI’s second-highest run-scorer behind Ishan Kishan. In IPL 2023, he was the fourth-highest run-getter, amassing 343 runs in 11 games.
Varma has had a proper rags-to-riches story, the son of an electrician, he is expected to make his India debut against West Indies next month.
No wonder Mumbai Indians have had such as strong role to play in the rise of young Tilak Varma, whose childhood coach credited the IPL franchise for moulding the middle-order batter.
Tilak’s childhood coach Salam Bayash credits the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma for giving him the confidence to express himself on the field.
“Mumbai Indians is a team where a player enters as a lump of clay and then the management moulds him, shapes him, strengthens him, and colours him for brighter prospects. Tilak is one of those players. The practice system is very good. They get a player 90 percent ready in practice itself,” Bayash told the Times of India.
“The God of cricket Sachin Tendulkar is there. No one can teach you better than the God of cricket. His advice and tips can make a batter’s career. Sachin’s support and encouragement were massive for Tilak,” the coach added.
Bayash also revealed that Rohit always gives Tilak freedom which has helped the youngster prosper.
“Tilak always says Rohit tells him ‘tu khul ke khel na, tension nahi lene ka’ (Play freely without worrying much). That freedom has given Tilak confidence,” said Bayash.
Varma’s childhood coach also recalled a chat he had with Suryakumar Yadav who once visited Tilak’s house with other Mumbai Indians players, Bayash himself was there too. The number 1 ranked T20I batter told Bayash that Tilak was talented, and he is in safe hands.
“Suryakumar came to me and said ‘Tilak talented hai and wo safe hands me hai mere, mai dekh lunga isko, aap tension mat lo’ (Tilak is talented, he’s in safe hands, don’t worry),” the coach revealed.
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