Hardik Pandya Likened To Triple H After Tilak Varma Century

Hardik Pandya and Triple H [Source: AP, AFP]

Tilak Varma decimated Gujarat Titans with an electrifying century in match number 30 of the IPL 2026 season. Batting at number five for the Mumbai Indians at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, the left-hander plundered 101* off just 45 balls with eight boundaries and seven huge sixes.

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya seemingly played a huge role in Varma’s insurgence, as evidenced by what transpired between the two batters during their 81-run partnership in the middle. At one stage of their partnership, Pandya was spotted encouraging Tilak Varma when the latter was struggling to get going at the crease.

Pandya’s animated pep talk has now earned him a significant praise from former India teammate Ravichandran Ashwin, who likened the fast-bowling all-rounder with WWE superstar Triple H.

R Ashwin says Hardik Pandya’s ‘Triple H’ pep talk worked for Varma

While speaking on his YouTube channel, former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin praised Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya for constantly motivating struggling middle-order batter Tilak Varma. Ashwin also compared Pandya with WWE superstar Triple H.

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He said “Hardik Pandya was talking to him (Tilak Varma) while batting, he motivated him, he did it like how we see in WWF (WWE). Just like Triple H used to do with water. So whatever Hardik Pandya said and did worked for Tilak Varma.”

Tilak Varma’s century one of the best IPL hundreds, believes Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin also praised Tilak Varma for his breathtaking ton, describing it one of the best IPL centuries he has ever seen. The former cricketer also took the experienced Gujarat Titans attack and the playing conditions into account as he made his assessment.

Ashwin added “This is easily one of the best IPL hundreds that I have seen. To take down Ashok Sharma, Prasidh Krishna, Rashid Khan, and Mohammed Siraj on this pitch, it was probably one of the best IPL hundreds that I have ever seen.”

Tilak Varma smashes records, Mumbai Indians end losing streak

Tilak Varma raced to a 45-ball century by hitting a six and a four off the final two balls of the Mumbai Indians innings. The innings marked his first fifty-plus score of the IPL 2026 season, and the first century of his IPL career.

Varma also claimed a huge Mumbai Indians record in the process, levelling up with Sanath Jayasuriya to slap the joint fastest IPL century in the history of the franchise. Furthermore, he became the second youngest Mumbai Indians cricketer to score an IPL century after Cameron Green.

Even Hardik Pandya scripted a huge IPL milestone for Mumbai Indians, as the senior pro completed 2,000 runs for the franchise, becoming the seventh cricketer to do so. 

Blazing the Mumbai Indians to 199-5 in 20 overs, the visitors won the match by 99 runs after bowlers Ashwani Kumar (4-24), AM Ghazanfar (2-17) and Mitchell Santner (2-16) wrapped up the Titans for just 100. The outcome helped the Pandya-led side to end its four-match losing streak in IPL 2026.

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