In a dramatic encounter on Saturday, young batting sensation Tilak Varma led India to a nail-biting two-wicket victory over England in the second T20I in Chennai. Chasing 166, the 22-year-old displayed remarkable composure under pressure, finishing unbeaten on 72 off 55 balls to secure India’s triumph with four balls to spare.
Following his brilliant knock, Team India captain, Suryakumar Yadav, bowed in admiration of the youngster’s match-winning performance, a gesture that Tilak also promptly reciprocated.
Watch the gesture here:
The hosts found themselves in trouble early in their pursuit after losing openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson cheaply. With the score at 18 for 2, Tilak walked in and counter-attacked alongside Suryakumar Yadav, stitching a brief but critical partnership. However, when Suryakumar fell, followed by a flurry of wickets, India was left reeling at 78 for 5. The onus was squarely on Tilak to anchor the innings.
England’s bowlers, led by Brydon Carse (3/28) and Adil Rashid (1/14)), maintained a stranglehold on the scoring. Despite the mounting pressure, Tilak played a measured knock, combining caution with aggression. Partnering Washington Sundar, he steadied the innings before the lower order chipped in crucial runs. Trusting the tailenders and keeping strike rotation intact, Tilak guided India to the target.
{{/usCountry}}England’s bowlers, led by Brydon Carse (3/28) and Adil Rashid (1/14)), maintained a stranglehold on the scoring. Despite the mounting pressure, Tilak played a measured knock, combining caution with aggression. Partnering Washington Sundar, he steadied the innings before the lower order chipped in crucial runs. Trusting the tailenders and keeping strike rotation intact, Tilak guided India to the target.
{{/usCountry}}Jos Buttler’s 45 and Brydon Carse’s late cameo of 31 had earlier propelled England to a competitive 165 after being put in to bat. Despite their strong showing, Tilak’s brilliance ensured India took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
After sealing the win with a boundary, Tilak celebrated in his trademark style, a pose that has become synonymous with his growing stature. Suryakumar Yadav, visibly thrilled, joined him in the celebration, and in the post-match presentation, praised the youngster. “Very happy with the way Tilak batted, good to see someone like him taking responsibility,” Suryakumar said.
With this innings, Tilak has extended his scintillating run in T20Is, amassing 318 runs in his last four knocks, including two centuries in South Africa, without being dismissed. As the series now moves to Rajkot for the third T20I on January 28, all eyes will be on India’s rising star to continue his golden form.