Mumbai Indians batsman Tilak Varma has been one of the brightest young players in the IPL 2022. In fact, the left-hander, after 7 matches, is the leading run-scorer for MI this season, scoring 234 runs at an average of 46 and strike rate of 140.
Varma has struck two fifties in the season so far, with the second one coming on Thursday against defending champions Chennai Super Kings. What has been impressive is the maturity with which he’s batted throughout the season.
Against CSK, Varma came in to bat at number 5 at the score of 23/3 after the MI top-order had been blown away by left-arm pacer Mukesh Choudhary. With the side in trouble, Varma decided to bat sedately allowing Suryakumar Yadav to play the risky shots and force the issue.
After a stand of 24 runs, Yadav got out and Varma was joined by debutant Hrithik Shokeen; the pair forged another crucial stand of 38 runs. Varma then added 26 runs with Kieron Pollard, and 35 in just 16 balls with Jaydev Unadkat.
It was in the second last over of the innings that the left-hander raised up his half-century – his second of the season – and remained unbeaten on 51 from 43 balls, helping MI reach a fighting total of 155, which seemed largely distant when they had lost three early wickets.
Before today’s knock, young Varma, aged 19, has registered scores of 22, 61, 38*, 0, 36, 26. He and Suryakumar Yadav have been the most consistent batters for MI and have to bail their side out of trouble in almost every game with the failure of other around them.
Former India all-rounder took to Twitter to laud the 19-year-old Tilak Varma for his exceptional maturity with which he’s kept MI alive in the contest vs CSK.
“Tilak Varma has kept Mumbai Indians in the game. Batting with such maturity under pressure for the first timer in the ipl is amazing,” Irfan Pathan tweeted.
Tilak Varma has kept Mumbai Indians in the game. Batting with such maturity under pressure for the first timer in the ipl is amazing
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 21, 2022
