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'Learning how to finish games from Rinku': Tilak Varma wants to emulate star India left-hander after 1st T20I heroics
Tilak Varma spoke about Rinku Singh's knock in the first T20I against Australia and stated that he wants to emulate the left-hander.
Team India will return to action on Sunday when it takes part in the second of five T20Is in Thiruvananthapuram. The side is leading the series 1-0, having registered a dramatic two-wicket win in Visakhapatnam after Suryakumar Yadav's brilliant 40-ball 82, as well as Ishan Kishan's 58 set the foundation for India's record 209-run chase. Rinku Singh played a match-winning cameo towards the final overs of the innings, staying unbeaten on 22 to steer the side to a thrilling victory.
It was a fairly straightforward ask for India at the end of the 19th over of the chase, with the side requiring only 7 to win; however, three consecutive wickets left the side in a spot of bother. Rinku, however, kept his nerves and displayed brilliant composure to regain the strike, and then smash the final ball for a six with India requiring a run to win. The six, however, was not counted as Sean Abbott had overstepped, thus providing India the extra run before the delivery was legally bowled.
Also read: Australia pacer delivers hilarious one-liner on how to 'stop' Suryakumar Yadav: 'Give the ball to someone else'
Regardless, Rinku's ability to keep his nerves and stay composed in pressure situation earned him laurels, and that is exactly what his fellow teammate Tilak Varma aims to replicate in the upcoming matches. The young Tilak, who made his India debut earlier this year during a T20I series against West Indies, stated that he is “learning” from Rinku on how to finish games.
"I am learning how to finish games from Rinku as he is doing it consistently for India. I also want to do and hopefully in coming matches I will be doing that," Tilak said in the pre-match press conference.
Tilak, who is also a southpaw like Rinku, has already made an impression in the 11 T20Is he has played for the country, with two half-centuries and a strike-rate of 140-plus to his credit. "There is no pressure of expectation on me. I just have a role and I have to fulfil that role for the team. My role at No. 5 is, if it's in my arc, I will go for it or else just rotate strike," said Tilak.
He then explained what he was asked to do in the last game.
"Last match, in that situation a leg-spinner was bowling, I wanted to take charge as we needed 10 per over in that situation, so it was decided I will go at the leg-spinner and for fast bowler, settled batsman Surya bhai was batting," he said.
