When Tilak Varma helped fulfill his childhood coach’s dream of assembly Sachin Tendulkar

By India Today Sports Desk: Tilak Varma’s childhood coach Salam Bayash is a large fan of Sachin Tendulkar, very like tens of millions of others within the nation. And his dream of assembly the legendary cricketer got here true via one among his wards, a sure Tilak Varma who’s making waves in worldwide cricket.

It was after Tilak Varma bagged an IPL contract that Salam Bayash was in a position to meet his cricket idol. And when he met Sachin Tendulkar, the World Cup-winning India batter pleasantly stunned him by telling him that he was conscious of his job and the best way he nurtured younger Tilak Varma.

It was Salam Bayash who recognized Tilak Varma’s expertise in Hyderabad and took him beneath his wings. The proud coach is now seeing his ward being talked about as the following large factor in Indian cricket. Tilak’s skill to play free-flowing cricket has given hopes of fixing their long-standing downside of not having a left-hander within the center order.

“Sachin sir likes him very much. I will tell you another instance. Tilak told him that my teacher is a very big fan of yours. So, Sachin sir replied, ‘I know everything about you and your coach’,” Tilak’s coach advised News18.

“Last year, when Sachin sir came to Hyderabad, I got to meet him and that was a big, big moment for me. I told him, ’20 years se apse milne ki khawaish thi. Upar wala meri khawaish puri kardiye (It was my 20-year-long dream to meet you. The almighty has fulfilled it today)’.

“He then hugged me and advised me that I’ve ready an excellent participant in Tilak and will proceed to do the identical. Main jitna khush tha, use zyada Tilak khush tha ki maine sir ko Sachin Sir se milwa diya (Tilak was happier than me),” he added.

MAKING WAVES IN THE CARIBBEAN

Tilak made a outstanding debut within the T20I sequence towards the West Indies in August 2023. The Hyderabad-born left-handed batsman, who had already made a reputation for himself within the Indian Premier League (IPL), showcased his prowess on the worldwide stage with a formidable efficiency.

Varma’s debut within the T20I format was marked by a fearless innings within the opening match towards the West Indies, the place he scored a quickfire 39 off simply 22 balls. His highly effective strokes, together with two sixes in his first worldwide cricket innings, had been a testomony to his aggressive batting type. Despite India’s loss within the match, Varma’s efficiency was extremely praised and he was anticipated to proceed representing India in future T20I matches.

In the second T20I match held in Providence on August 6, Varma displayed maturity past his years. He performed a vital function in anchoring India’s innings, scoring a commendable fifty on a tough pitch. His knock of 51 runs from 41 balls, nonetheless, went in useless as West Indies managed to edge dwelling by two wickets. Nevertheless, Varma’s half-century beneath difficult situations highlighted his potential as a dependable middle-order batsman for India.

Prior to his worldwide debut, Varma had already made important contributions within the IPL whereas taking part in for Mumbai Indians. In the 2022 IPL season, he amassed 397 runs in 14 matches at a strike-rate of 131.02. His efficiency continued to shine within the 2023 IPL season, the place he scored 343 runs in 11 matches at a strike-rate of 164.11.