Tilak Varma highligted the importance of anchoring an innings after his maiden IPL century powered Mumbai Indians to a commanding 99-run victory over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Coming into the contest on the back of four consecutive defeats, MI needed a statement performance, and Tilak delivered in emphatic fashion with an unbeaten 101 off just 45 balls. His knock rescued the visitors from early trouble and propelled them to a formidable 199/5, which proved far beyond GT’s reach.
Reflecting on his innings and the significance of the result, Tilak emphasised both personal and team objectives.
“It was very important for the team and for me. Over the last four or five games, the one thing constantly running through my head was that I hadn’t spent much time in the middle and hadn’t faced many balls, so my aim was to spend some time at the wicket and then adapt according to the team’s situation. I am grateful that it worked out that way,” the batter told JioStar.
Having steadied the innings alongside Naman Dhir after MI were rocked early by Kagiso Rabada’s fiery spell, Tilak then accelerated dramatically in the latter half, ensuring MI finished with a total that put the hosts under immense pressure. However, the left-hander stressed the need for consistency as the tournament progresses.
“However, we shouldn’t look too far ahead and should take one match at a time. Every game is almost like a knockout for us. We know what we are capable of, having several World Cup winners in the side, experienced players, and the skills we possess. If we execute well, we can be unstoppable. So, it is important to keep our heads down and continue working hard,” he said.
Tilak also revealed details of an animated mid-innings exchange with skipper Hardik Pandya, whose energy from the sidelines played a role in motivating him.
“As everyone knows, Hardik bhai is very energetic. He was charged up and kept saying, ‘You can do it, you will do it,’ to boost me. I just asked him to calm down because I needed to stay focused, and I assured him that I would take care of the rest,” he stated.
His calculated approach was particularly evident in the final overs, where he dismantled the GT bowling attack to add crucial late runs, turning a competitive total into a match-winning one. Tilak further spoke about adapting to the conditions in Ahmedabad, where the black-soil surface demanded a shift in batting strategy.
“Whenever MI comes to Ahmedabad, they usually give us a black-soil wicket, which is a bit slow in nature. It’s not that our batters cannot adapt, but we know what we can do if there is more bounce. Since it was slow and low, we had to adjust and try to hit straight. There wasn’t much bounce, so playing across the line to deliveries in line with the stumps was risky. I decided to hit straighter, and I read the conditions well; thankfully, I was able to score some runs,” he mentioned.
While he has featured in multiple roles in the batting order, Tilak made it clear where he feels most comfortable, even as he reiterated his willingness to adapt for the team.
“Personally, I like batting at number three a lot. However, I am happy to bat wherever the team needs me, because since childhood, I have practised in a way that allows me to play confidently in any position. But if someone asks me, I would always say number three,” the 23-year-old expressed.
With the ball, MI completed a dominant performance as Ashwani Kumar (4/24), along with strong support from Mitchell Santner and Allah Ghazanfar, dismantled GT for just 100 in 15.5 overs. The comprehensive win not only ended Mumbai’s losing run but also reignited their campaign, with Tilak’s standout innings serving as a timely reminder of the side’s batting firepower.
