Meet Tilak Varma, the cricket sensation from Hyderabad who's catching everyone's eye as he smoothly transitions from local to international cricket at just 20 years old. Born on November 8, 2002, to parents Namboori Nagaraju and Gayatri Devi, Tilak's journey to the international cricket stage is a testament to his talent, hard work, and strong family support.
In his very first international match, Tilak showed off his batting skills, scoring an impressive 39 runs off just 22 balls. Despite team's loss, his performance stood out, making him a promising talent for Team India. In the second T20I, he continued his brilliant run, scoring his first T20I fifty with 51 runs off 41 balls, even when faced with a challenging pitch and pressure.
Before his international debut, Tilak had already made waves in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Mumbai Indians snapped him up for Rs 1.7 crore, and in the 2023 IPL season, he showcased his talent by scoring a notable 343 runs in just 11 matches. His amazing playing made it possible for him to become a part of Indian team in T20I series against West Indies.
Tilak's dad, Namboori, fondly remembers how his son's cricket passion started early. "From his childhood, he always had a cricket bat in his hand. He would play with it all day long. He'd even keep the bat and ball beside him while sleeping," Namboori shared.
Namboori also gave credit to Tilak's childhood coach, Salam Bayash, who played a vital role in Tilak's cricket journey. Salam was like a caring godfather, supporting Tilak not just in cricket, but also with essentials like lunch and cricketing gear. "Salam sir used to encourage him a lot, whether it was his lunch or his cricket equipment, he said that he would give it to him. He used to tell me that if there was any issue, he is always there, we have to get him (Tilak) to the next level. I used to tell Salam Sir that he should not fall short in his studies, he used to assure us that everything would be fine and money would not be an issue. He used to encourage him a lot, he was like a godfather to him," Namboori added.
After his impressive beginning, Tilak now wants to help India get ready for the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA next year. His tale is about putting in a lot of effort, having your family there for you, and getting valuable advice from a mentor who cares – it's truly motivating.