Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra showered praise on Tilak Varma after he scored a match-winning knock of 72 runs off just 55 balls at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Saturday. The left-hander played an instrumental role in taking India to a two-wicket win as he showed great maturity to take the game deep.
The home team was in a quagmire at 78-5 after 9.1 while chasing 166 runs but Varma played at the top of his game to keep India in the contest. The southpaw smashed four fours and five sixes as he batted at the top of his game.
“Tilak Varma, the superstar. We sometimes call someone a superstar very early. We also call someone a great or a legend very early these days. I am not saying that he is already a superstar but he is on the way,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
The renowned commentator lauded Varma for batting according to the match situation.
“He went till the end and didn’t throw away his wicket. 18 runs were required, eight wickets had fallen, and he had already hit five sixes, so he could have tried to hit three more sixes. However, he said he would go deep. The match was at Chepauk, it’s Dhoni’s home, so the guy should go deep while chasing,” Chopra added.
Meanwhile, Chopra recalled that Varma had asked Suryakumar Yadav to let him bat at number three on the South African tour. Since then, Varma has grabbed his chance with both hands and hasn’t looked back.
“I am reminded repeatedly about the time when he would have knocked on the door and asked Surya to make him bat at No. 3, and that he wouldn’t let him down. A captain has a hunch, sometimes he gives that chance and sometimes he doesn’t. Surya gave him the chance in this case and the guy hasn’t looked back since,” he said.
The reputed commentator hailed the youngster for his sixes against Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse.
“Tilak Varma came to bat at No. 3 again and how well he batted. The leg-side shots he is playing, a ball he hit off Jofra’s bowling went to Marina Beach and didn’t return. Then he hit another six, and then a six against Carse,” Chopra observed.
The third T20I between India and England will be played at the Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot on Tuesday.
