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.

In late 2024, Varma became the first player in men's T20 cricket to score three consecutive centuries, achieving this feat across T20Is for India against South Africa (107*, 120*) and then in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Hyderabad (151*).

Only a couple of years after his India debut, the Hyderabad batter produced one of the most notable innings in his career. In the final of the 2025 Asia Cup final against the arch-rivals Pakistan, Varma walked in to bat at 10/2, only for it to soon become 20/3.

Chasing 147, the stakes were as high as they get. However, Tilak played a match-winning 69*-run knock off 53 balls, helping India win the title and claiming the Man of the Match award.

Tilak Varma’s Domestic Career

Tilak 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 391 runs in the five innings in the 2021/22 season of the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT). The Hyderabad-born piled up 215 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Tournament (SMAT) in the same year with an impressive average of 147.26.

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.

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.

Tilak Varma’s IPL Career

In the 2022 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega-auction, Tilak Varma was bought by the 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.

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.

Varma had a noteworthy campaign in IPL 2024, solidifying his reputation as one of the 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, when he scored a crucial 65 off 45 balls. In a game where MI needed a stabiliser, Tilak stepped up and kept the scoreboard ticking, helping them reach a competitive total.  

Perhaps one of his most fearless knocks came on March 27, 2024, when MI faced Sunrisers Hyderabad in a game in which SRH posted a mammoth 277-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 under pressure.

Tilak Varma’s T20I Career

Tilak Varma’s IPL exploits gave him a seat on the Indian team. He made his T20I debut against the West Indies on August 3, 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.

In November 2024, during India's T20I series against South Africa, Tilak Varma delivered exceptional performances that significantly contributed to India's series victory. In the third T20I in Centurion, Varma scored his maiden T20I century, amassing 107* runs off 56 balls.

The MI batter 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. This partnership propelled India to a massive 283 for 1, 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. 

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 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.

On top of that, Tilak was the star performer with a 53-ball 69 as India defeated Pakistan by five wickets to win the coveted Asia Cup 2025 title. 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.

Tilak Varma’s ODI Career

In the ODI, Tilak Varma received his maiden cap on September 15, 2023, against Bangladesh during the Asia Cup Super Fours in Colombo. The youngster managed to score only 5 runs in his ODI debut.

It is important to note that batting at one down, Varma was dismissed in a paltry manner.

With his guard on leg, Tilak tried to leave the ball without getting his front foot all the way across. The ball shaped in nicely to hit the top of off, leaving the batter stunned. 

Later, during India’s Tour of South Africa in 2023-24, in the 3rd ODI, Varma hit his maiden half-century in the format, scoring a 77-ball 52.

Today, Tilak Varma is recognised for his consistent brilliance, for both the Mumbai Indians and India at the international stage. 

(As of February 2026)