
CHENNAI: In the six months since India's T20 World Cup triumph at Barbados, if there was one batter who has proven to be the most versatile no matter when and where he gets a chance, it is Tilak Varma.
Whether it is ODIs or T20Is, whenever he has gotten the chance Tilak has risen to the occasion and Saturday was no different. The youngster showed maturity and stayed till the end to guide India to a thrilling win against England in the second T20I in Chennai.
After Hardik Pandya's dismissal things could have gone South easily but Tilak was keen to see through the chase. "I said (to myself) that whatever happens, I will be staying till the end, and I wanted to finish the game. I had a chat with Gautam (Gambhir) sir during the last match. I can play with a strike-rate of 6 or 7 or above 10 or below 10 also, as per the team's requirement. I know that I can adapt and be flexible. Gautam sir also said during the drinks break (here at Chennai), 'it's a time that you can show the people that you can play both types of innings'. Happy that it paid off," said Tilak after India's win.
With Ravi Bishnoi at the other end and Jos Butler shuffling his bowlers well, Tilak played sensibly, at times not taking a run in order to prevent Bishnoi from taking the strike. He wanted to ensure no wickets fell further and finish the job himself. "Actually I wanted to finish the game but you know Ravi and I were talking about Varun Chakravarthy and Arshdeep Singh as well. I told Ravi to watch the ball and play. I told him to play basically on the front foot, and try to score through the gaps and that's what he did by scoring that boundary," recollected Tilak.
The wicket was a bit tricky as it aided the Indian spinners first and later the visitors' seamers. "The wicket was double-paced and quite challenging. With the kind of pace (England bowlers were bowling), it will be tough to hit square of the wicket. So, I just wanted to use the pace and hit as much as I can behind (in the V behind the wicketkeeper). So, that's what I have done and it has given me success," said Tilak.
The turning point was the way Tilak countered Jofra Archer. He carted the pacer for four sixes to upset Buttler's plans. "I wanted to target their best bowler (Archer). If you take on the best bowler, other bowlers will be under pressure. So, when the wickets were falling (at the other end), I wanted to take on their best bowlers. If I do that it makes it easier (for other batters). So, I backed myself and took chances against him and also whatever shots that I have played against Archer, I have worked in the nets, mentally I was ready for them. So it has given me a good result," revealed Tilak.
Tilak has made 318 runs since he was last dismissed in T20Is, which is a new world record, overtaking 271 runs scored between two dismissals by New Zealand's Mark Chapman in 2023. He has also batted at different positions. "As I said before, I am ready to bat anywhere. I am flexible. I have played in the IPL and also the Indian team before the South Africa series. I have never batted at number 3. I think 2-3 innings, other innings at 5-6 or 4. So I know how to manage batting at 4-5-6 also. But I like to bat at number 3, but I am really flexible. I can bat anywhere. What the team needs, I am ready for that," signed off Tilak.