Tilak Varma’s hard work paid off during the third T20I against South Africa in Centurion. After playing at No. 4 in the first two games, scoring 33 and 20, he felt he needed to do more to secure his spot. So, after the second T20I in Gqeberha, Tilak asked captain Suryakumar Yadav if he could bat at No. 3.
After the match, Suryakumar spoke about Tilak’s request: “Tilak came to me and asked to bat at No. 3. I told him to go for it, and he delivered. I’m thrilled for him and his family.” The captain confirmed that Tilak would stay at No. 3 for now.
Tilak, who returned to the team for this series, admitted he and Abhishek Sharma felt the pressure before the game. “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,” he said during the innings break.
A Record-Breaking Century At 22, Tilak became the second youngest Indian to score a T20I hundred, just behind Yashasvi Jaiswal.
His calm and powerful batting took India to a strong 219 for six at SuperSport Park. Abhishek Sharma also contributed with 50 off 25 balls, marking his first half-century in eight games.
The Two-Paced Pitch Challenge Tilak shared that the Centurion pitch was tricky due to its two-paced nature at the start. “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 Defendable Target for India Confident in India’s score, Tilak said that the total should be enough, especially with the team’s strong bowling lineup. “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.
A Promising Performance Tilak’s century was his first 50-plus score in nine innings, a good sign for his future and Indian cricket as they prepare for upcoming matches.
