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'Pollard always told me to...': Tilak reveals million-dollar 'Mumbai Indians' advice after maiden India call-up vs WI
Indian youngster Tilak Varma opened up on his conversation with Kieron Pollard, following the former's maiden India call-up for the T20Is in West Indies.
Tilak Varma enjoyed a sensational breakthrough with the Mumbai Indians in Indian Premier League, with the young southpaw’s form and ability in the middle-order handing him a well-deserved call-up to the national team for the tour of the West Indies. The Hyderabad batter is currently on domestic duty with South Zone for the Duleep Trophy, and received the call for the Indian team while playing the semifinal in Bangalore.
Speaking to PTI, Varma said “My mom and dad were literally crying yesterday. I made a video call to them and they were very emotional. My coach (Salam Bayash) also had the same reaction. He also became very emotional.”
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At only 20 years old, Tilak has enjoyed a very successful start to his career in the limelight, becoming one of MI’s staples in the middle-order over the last two seasons. He will join his middle order partner Suryakumar Yadav in the Caribbean, and will be hoping for strong performances to nail down a potential starting spot ahead of the T20 World Cup next year.
“I was playing in the Duleep Trophy (hence the mobile was switched off). Later my childhood friend called me and said you are selected, and that is when I came to know about it…around 8’o clock in the night,” continued Tilak.
The left-hander was carrying the bulk of MI’s batting in his debut season as a teenager in 2022, and scored 397 runs at an average of 36 and strike rate of 131. Only two uncapped players have scored more runs in their debut IPL season, Shreyas Iyer in 2015 and Devdutt Padikkal in 2020, both of whom were openers.
With Suryakumar Yadav available and fit in the 2023 season after some injuries the year before, Tilak was asked to bat lower down the order. Speaking of the challenges of having to become more of a finisher, he said “I will always back myself in any situation. I try to be clear in my mindset because Kieron Pollard was the main guy who used to do the job for us in that situation (death overs).”
Tilak’s average in his second season rose to 42, and the strike-rate took a massive jump to 164. Tilak was one of the more consistent and destructive middle order batters in the IPL as his runs helped Mumbai reach the playoffs. Speaking of Pollard’s influence, Tilak said, “He always tells me to be calm and just focus on the next ball. So, I just back myself each time I entered and the results worked.”
Despite the call-up, Tilak did not let himself get distracted by the job at hand in the Duleep Trophy semifinal. Playing North Zone, he scored 46 in the first innings, joining Mayank Agarwal for an important partnership. “I am more confident now because I am a capped player. It is a big thing to get selected for the Indian team but I kept it aside. But even in my sleep, I was thinking of tomorrow’s game (Duleep Trophy),” concluded the exciting batter.
Tilak will be competing for middle order spots in the West Indies with Yadav and captain Hardik Pandya, but will be hoping for an opportunity to prove himself. He has already impressed at all levels he has played as a youngster, and will want to leave a mark in his debut series for the national team.
