Chennai erupted as Tilak Varma unleashed havoc on Zimbabwe’s bowlers, crafting an unbeaten 44 from 16 deliveries studded with four maximums and three boundaries. This came in the T20 World Cup clash where India posted 256, a score largely fueled by the 21-year-old’s audacious strokeplay from the lower order.
Dropped to number six amid scrutiny over his conservative approach in prior games, Varma proved his mettle. His innings flipped the narrative, showcasing the destructive potential that made him a white-ball prospect.
Reflecting on the game, Varma credited the top order: ‘A great start from the openers gives confidence to numbers 3, 4, and 5. Sanju’s explosive beginning allowed us to maintain aggression despite early wickets in the powerplay. We aimed to instill fear in their bowlers, ready to hit every ball.’
The team huddled pre-match for strategy. ‘We focused on positivity, revisiting last year’s T20 footage and videos for inspiration. It was a collective call to unleash our full potential,’ he explained.
Adapting seamlessly to the role, Varma noted, ‘Team comes first. I’ve filled similar slots for MI and India before. Post-wicket, I target immediate boundaries and sixes.’
With eyes on future fixtures, he affirmed, ‘This is our consistent style from the past year. We’ll stick to it and push scores beyond 250 in coming games.’
India’s batting depth looks formidable now, with Varma emerging as a key aggressor in high-stakes T20 action.