Tilak Varma’s performance in the IPL 2023 game on April 2nd, where he scored an unbeaten 84 off just 46 balls for the Mumbai Indians, drew high praise from Mohammad Kaif during a post-match discussion on Star Sports. Kaif commended Varma for his all-round game, highlighting his ability to play strokes all around the park, including the helicopter shot, which reminded him of MS Dhoni. Despite Varma’s impressive knock, the Mumbai Indians lost to the Royal Challengers Bangalore by eight wickets with 22 deliveries to spare.
In a post-match discussion on Star Sports, lauding his all-round game and commending him specifically for the impressive helicopter shot he played. He went on to explain further:
“Leg side is his strong suit. He uses his bottom hand but he makes room as well, hits sixes straight down the ground and plays the scoop shot. So it is not that he can only score on the leg side. The helicopter shot – if you watch it through a mirror, you will feel it is MS Dhoni because you will see him as a right-hander there.”
The former Indian batter highlighted the young player’s performance during the Mumbai Indians’ season last year, and noted that he continued that impressive form in their first IPL 2023 game, saying,
“The most difficult time was last year. Mumbai were struggling and were losing matches continuously but his bat kept on firing. So he showed that he has courage. He played for the first time for the Mumbai Indians and scored regularly and he continued that form here.”
Varma excelled in the 14 games he played in IPL 2022, scoring 397 runs with a remarkable strike rate of 131.02. His top score was an impressive 61, which was surpassed when he made an unbeaten 84-run knock on Sunday.
“Tilak’s shot selection was spot on”: Virendra Sehwag
Virendra Sehwag had nothing but all praises for Tilak Verma for batting aggressively despite wickets losing at the other end.
“Tilak Varma batted amazingly well. Wickets kept falling from one end but he continued playing his shots. His shot selection was spot on. At times, players get scared when wickets fall and stop playing their shots, but Tilak Varma didn’t do that.”
“If another batter had stayed with him until the end overs, he might have taken the score to 200 instead of 171. You expect such knocks from such young players but when they do that, the coaching staff gets the satisfaction that they backed him and he performed. Hats off to the Mumbai Indians’ support staff.”
Tilak Varma and Arshad Khan gave MI hope, as they added 48 runs in less than three overs when the team was in deep trouble at 123/7. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, it did not prove to be enough.