When Suryakumar Yadav knocked on Tilak Varma’s hotel room door to inform him that he would be batting at number 3 in the third T20 International, the talented left-hander was filled with gratitude and promised his skipper that he would not disappoint him.
After reaching his 51st ball century, his second 50 off 19 balls, Tilak pointed towards the dugout and blew a flying kiss to acknowledge his captain for sacrificing his batting position for the youngster. “Because our skipper ‘SKY’ gave me the opportunity to bat at number three,” Tilak told reporters after India’s 11-run win in the third T20I against South Africa.
“I like to bat No. 3, but in the last two games I played No. 4. He came to my room last night and said, ‘You’ll be batting number three,’ and he said it was a good opportunity. Go and express yourself. I told him, ‘You gave me a chance. I will show you on the field,’” said the second-youngest Indian centurion in T20 Internationals.
His innings of 107 off 56 balls saw him hit seven sixes and eight fours, including a straight and a flick from the opposition’s fastest bowler and his former Mumbai Indians teammate Gerald Coetzee.
Tilak added 107 runs with another youngster Abhishek Sharma scoring a half-century after a series of misses. “The team supported us even when we failed. They told us to play the famous brand of the Indian cricket team and the skipper and management (interim coach VVS Laxman) said: Play boldly even when wickets fall. (Play freely even if you lose your wicket.)”
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The stylish Hyderabad batsman said back-to-back finger injuries kept him out of the two international tours of Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, but he always knew he would score when the time came.
“I dislocated my finger during the last IPL match and was out for two months. He then suffered another fracture after net recovery. So I missed two back-to-back series – Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.
“It was heartbreaking to miss out on two series and a great opportunity. But I had to be patient, focus on the process and keep working hard. I knew my time would come and I would score when the right time came,” said the 22-year-old.
Continuing to manage your team when times are tough helps, and Varma is reaping the rewards. Tilak is a handy off-spinner and I feel he has worked hard on his bowling as he wants to be seen as an all-rounder.
“The ball came out really well and I bowled hard. “I want to contribute as an all-rounder,” he said.
