India vs South Africa T20I: Tilak Varma’s determination to seize his moment in the spotlight bore fruit during the third T20I against South Africa in Centurion. After batting at No. 4 in the first two matches and scoring 33 and 20, the young batter knew he needed more to cement his place. Taking the initiative, Tilak approached captain Suryakumar Yadav after the second T20I in Gqeberha, requesting a chance at No. 3.
Suryakumar Yadav agreed, and Tilak Varma repaid the trust with a stunning unbeaten 107 off 56 balls.
Suryakumar Yadav’s Faith Rewarded
“What more can I say about Tilak Varma. He came to my room at Gqeberha and said, ‘Give me a chance at No. 3, I want to do well,’ and I said, ‘Go out there and express yourself. He asked for it, and he delivered. Very happy for him and his family,” said Suryakumar at the post-match presentation.
The captain also confirmed Tilak’s place at No. 3 for the time being: “Yes, he will bat at No. 3 for now.”
Tilak Varma’s Pressure Transformed into Performance
Tilak, who made his comeback to the T20I side for the South Africa series, admitted the pressure was on him and teammate Abhishek Sharma before the match. “I was waiting for this moment for a long time. Coming after injury and scoring a hundred…it is incredible. We (Abhishek and I) were both under pressure, and this knock was important for both of us,” Tilak told the host broadcasters during the innings break.
Tilak Varma’s Record-Breaking Knock
The 22-year-old’s maiden international century made Tilak Varma the second youngest Indian to score a T20I hundred, following Yashasvi Jaiswal. His innings, which featured crisp hitting and composure, helped propel India to an imposing 219 for six at SuperSport Park. Partnering with Tilak, Abhishek Sharma also shone, scoring 50 off 25 balls, marking his first half-century in eight matches.
‘Navigating the Two-Paced Pitch’
Tilak admitted that the Centurion pitch offered its own challenges because of its two-pace nature at the beginning. Tilak Varma highlighted the challenge of batting on a pitch that was not straightforward. “It was challenging at the start — wicket was two-paced. After that, it went well. I tried to hold my shape and was trying to focus on the basics. We talked about following the basics,” he explained.
‘A Solid Target for India’
Confident in the team’s total, Tilak Varma noted that the score should be defendable, given the team’s recent strong bowling performances. “Our spinners are bowling well. We were looking at 200-210, so we have a good total on the board, hoping for the win,” he added.
Tilak’s performance marked his first 50-plus score in nine innings, a promising sign for both him and Indian cricket as they build towards future matches.
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