After scoring his maiden T20I half-century, Tilak Varma praised India head coach Rahul Dravid and his teachings that enabled him to enjoy a stellar beginning to his T20I career in the blue jersey. Varma, who has played just two matches for the Men in Blue in the shortest format of the game, stressed on how working with Dravid since the U-19 days has helped him improve his game. The young left-handed batter also credited skipper Hardik Pandya for constant motivation.
"I have been working with Rahul sir since my U-19 World Cup days. He always tells us to follow the basics and spend more time on the wicket. Hardik bhai was also telling me the same. He told me that you have done well in the domestic and the IPL, follow your basics and enjoy your game," Varma said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
The 20-year-old attractive batter scored 51 runs off 41 balls with the help of five fours and one six during the second T20I between India and West Indies at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on August 6 (Sunday). In his debut match, Varma's first two scoring shots were sixes before he was dismissed for 39 runs off 22 balls. In the first game, the southpaw whacked two fours and three sixes.
Despite Varma's brilliance with the bat, India ended up losing back-to-back matches against West Indies for the first time in 12 years. The young Indian batter appreciated the knock played by Nicholas Pooran that enabled the Men in Maroon to clinch the second match by two wickets. Pooran scored 67 runs off 40 balls with the help of six fours and four sixes.
"Credit goes to Pooran, the way he batted. He put the pressure on the bowlers straightaway. We knew that we needed one wicket to turn things around because it was not going to be easy for a new batter," said Varma.
India now trails 0-2 in the ongoing five-match T20I series against the Windies. From hereon, all three contests will be do-or-die fixtures for the Men in Blue as they are one defeat away from conceding the series.
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