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Over a year since his first Indian Premier League (IPL) match with Mumbai Indians, Tilak Varma accomplished his dream of playing for India with his debut in the first T20I against West Indies. Having received widespread acclaim for his exceptional performances in the last two IPL seasons, Tilak is now eager to mirror his IPL success at an international level. His debut left a remarkable impression.
Even though India fell short in their 150-run chase in the initial T20I against West Indies on Thursday, Tilak embarked on his India journey with a captivating 39 off just 22 balls, showcasing two fours and three stunning sixes.
Speaking with his fellow IPL and India team member, Ishan Kishan, Tilak, who is 20, confessed that he would likely feel nervous during his first international game but intended to focus on his strengths.
“West Indies is a very good side in T20. My plan is to play around my strengths, want to stick to basics. This is my first series, so want to give my 100 per cent. I will be a bit nervous but want to give my best. I spoke to Rahul sir during practice that if I end up losing my wicket while giving my best, that’s fine," Tilak said in a video shared by BCCI," Tilak stated in a video released by BCCI.
In his initial IPL season, Tilak gathered 397 runs in 14 innings, coming second in his team, just after Ishan's 418. He validated his proficiency by delivering another impressive performance earlier this year with 343 runs from 11 innings.
“In the first year (of IPL), you are under pressure to do well. You know to get more chances, you have to prove yourself and I played with that mindset. Of course, every player hopes to play for India one day but I wasn’t thinking about it back then. I got the call only after playing well," Tilak explained.
Ishan later pointed out the numerous tattoos Tilak had and humorously demanded, "Humein jawab chahiye! (We need answers)"
“I wanted to get tattoos since kid and it wasn’t allowed back then. So I asked my coach who told me to do stay focus, reach a level and then go for it," Tilak responded.
He reminisced about the moment when he learned about his selection for the Indian team.
"I called my coach and family. I wanted to talk more but my parents got emotional, were crying so I didn’t speak for long," Tilak concluded.
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