India's explosive batter Tilak Varma made superstar speedster Jofra Archer look like any ordinary bowler in the second T20I against England and belted him left, right and centre. Jofra Archer was Tilak Varma's pet bowler for the night as the southpaw single-handedly took India home in the Chennai showdown. Meanwhile right after guiding India to a stunning two-wicket win over England, Tilak Varma revealed a strategic approach to his match-winning knock in the Chennai T20I. He deliberately targeted England's star pacer, Jofra Archer, with the aim of relieving pressure on his teammates and simultaneously challenging the opposition.
While several key players, including Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, and skipper Suryakumar Yadav, struggled against England's bowling attack, Tilak Varma displayed controlled aggression, guiding India towards a thrilling victory.
Attack Jofra Archer was pre-planned, admits Tilak Varma
During the post-match press conference, Tilak revealed his strategic thinking while tacking one of the dangerous speedster of current time. He explained that he had planned to attack the best bowlers in the England lineup, with a particular focus on Jofra Archer. This calculated approach proved successful, as Archer conceded 60 runs in his four-over spell, picking up only one wicket. This marked Archer's most expensive T20I performance to date.
"I wanted to target their best bowler. If you take on the best bowler, other bowlers will be under pressure. So, when the wickets are falling (at the other end), I want to take on their best bowlers," Tilak said in the post-match presentation.
"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," he added.
Varma's unbeaten 72 off 55 balls helped India successfully overhaul a target of 166 runs. With just two wickets in hand and four balls remaining, India chased down the target despite wickets tumbling on the other end. Varma's innings was a masterclass in both composure and aggression. He punished loose deliveries while maintaining a calm demeanor under pressure.
This victory secured a 2-0 lead for India in the five-match T20I series against England. Tilak Varma has been a standout performer for the team, consistently demonstrating his mettle in high-pressure situations. Since India's series victory over South Africa, he has been in exceptional form, remaining unbeaten in his last four T20Is. During this period, Varma has amassed an impressive 318 runs, including two consecutive centuries against South Africa.