Tilak Varma

Tilak Varma is a left-handed batsman who hails from the city of Hyderabad. He is a wristy batter and has a good reputation for playing spin. The youngster is also known to flex his arm with some off-spin whenever needed. 

Varma made his First-Class debut for Hyderabad in the 2018-19 edition of the Ranji Trophy on December 30, 2018. He made his domestic T20 debut for Hyderabad the following year too.

The graceful batter scored 180 runs in the five innings in the 2020-21 season of the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) and bagged five wickets as well. The Hyderabad-born piled up 214 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Tournament (SMAT) in the same year with an impressive average of 147.26.

The middle-order batter has scored three centuries and as many half-centuries in his List-A career with an outstanding average of 52.26.

The elegant batter played just a solitary First-Class game, scoring 39 runs against Andhra Pradesh. Later, in December 2019, he was drafted into India's squad for the 2020 ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup (CWC) as well. 

In the 2022 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega-auction, Varma was bought by Mumbai Indians (MI) for a whopping sum of INR 1.7 crores. The youngster made the most of this opportunity, being MI’s saviour in an otherwise disappointing campaign for the franchise. In his debut season, the southpaw gathered 397 runs in 14 innings at a strike-rate of 131.02.

This was followed by a successful white-ball domestic season. In the 2022 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Varma smashed four consecutive fifties, ending the tournament with 297 runs in six innings. Runs continued to flow from his bat in the 2022 Vijay Hazare Trophy, where in just seven innings, he amassed 402 runs, the second-most by a batter in the Hyderabad line-up.

Then came the IPL 2023 and Varma’s career took off from there. Although he compiled only one fifty in the season, which came in MI’s campaign opener against Royal Challengers Bangalore, he managed to play useful knocks throughout, striking at a rate of 164.11 while amassing 343 runs in 11 innings.

This gave him a seat on the Indian team. He made his T20I debut against the West Indies in August 2023. In the five-match series, he was India’s top-scorer with 173 runs, which included a half-century and a 49-run innings.

He debuted in the ODI format against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup 2023. He was also a part of India’s glory in the men’s cricket event of the Asian Games 2023, where the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side bagged a gold medal. In the semi-final versus Bangladesh, Varma was at his all-round best, scoring 55 runs in addition to the one wicket that he took.

He notched up his maiden ODI fifty in the decider of the three-match series versus the Proteas.

Varma had a noteworthy campaign in IPL 2024, solidifying his reputation as one of Mumbai Indians’ most dependable batters. Across the season, he amassed 416 runs, finishing as MI’s second-highest run-getter.  One of his standout performances came on April 22, 2024, against the Rajasthan Royals, where he played a crucial knock of 65 off 45 balls. In a game where MI needed a stabilizer, Tilak stepped up and kept the scoreboard ticking, ensuring they reached a competitive total.  

Perhaps one of his most fearless knocks came on March 27, 2024, when MI faced Sunrisers Hyderabad in a game that saw SRH post a mammoth 278-run total. Chasing a near-impossible target, Tilak displayed his aggressive side, hammering 64 off 34 balls with two fours and six towering sixes. Though MI fell short, his innings showed his ability to thrive in pressure situations. 

In November 2024, during India's T20I series against South Africa, Tilak Varma delivered exceptional performances that significantly contributed to India's 3-1 series victory. In the third T20I at Centurion Park, Varma scored his maiden T20I century, amassing 107 runs off 56 balls. His innings featured a blend of technical finesse and aggressive stroke play, propelling India to a formidable total of 219 for six. Varma continued his stellar form and delivered an unbeaten 120 off 47 balls in the fourth T20I at Johannesburg. His explosive innings included nine fours and ten sixes, contributing to a record-breaking unbroken 210-run partnership with Sanju Samson, who also scored a century. This partnership propelled India to a massive total of 283 for one, leading to a comprehensive 135-run victory and securing the series 3-1. 

Varma's back-to-back centuries made him only the second Indian, after Sanju Samson, to achieve consecutive T20I hundreds. His 41-ball century in Johannesburg is the third-fastest by an Indian in T20Is, following Rohit Sharma's 35-ball and Samson's 40-ball centuries. Additionally, his 120-run knock is the second-highest individual score by an Indian in T20Is, surpassed only by Shubman Gill's 126.

Tilak's purple patch extended into domestic cricket during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2024-25. Leading Hyderabad against Meghalaya in the tournament opener, he played a monumental innings, scoring an unbeaten 151 off just 67 balls.

This knock, embellished with 14 fours and 10 sixes, set a new benchmark as the highest individual score in SMAT history, surpassing Shreyas Iyer's previous record of 147. Notably, this century marked his third consecutive T20 hundred, making him the first cricketer to achieve this feat.

Tilak's recent exploits have propelled him up the ranks in T20 cricket. He ascended to the third position in the ICC T20I batting rankings, becoming the highest-ranked Indian. 

Recognizing his consistent brilliance, the Mumbai Indians retained Tilak Varma ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. 

(As of April 2025)