Following the team announcement, Tilak – who earned his selection after playing some valuable knocks for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) – shared his parents’ initial reaction.
Currently participating in the Duleep Trophy semi-final for South Zone against North Zone at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, the left-handed batter revealed that his parents were overwhelmed and shed tears upon hearing the news of his selection.
“My mom and dad were literally crying yesterday. I made a video call to them and they were very emotional. My coach (Salam Bayash) also had the same reaction. He also became very emotional,” Varma was quoted as saying by PTI.
The 20-year-old learned about his India call-up from a childhood friend, as his mobile phone happened to be switched off at the time.
“I was playing in the Duleep Trophy (hence the mobile was switched off). Later my childhood friend called me and said you are selected, and that is when I came to know about it…around 8 in the night,” Varma added.
Expressing his gratitude for the opportunity, the southpaw acknowledged that his stint with MI in the IPL has played a vital role in his preparation for any situation he may encounter on the international stage.
“I will always back myself in any situation. I try to be clear in my mindset because Kieron Pollard was the main guy who used to do the job for us in that situation (death overs). He always tells me to be calm and just focus on the next ball. So, I just back myself each time I entered and the results worked.”
Varma disclosed: “I am more confident now because I am a capped player. It is a big thing to get selected for the Indian team but I kept it aside. But even in my sleep, I was thinking of tomorrow’s game (Duleep Trophy).”
Having played 25 IPL matches thus far, Varma has amassed 740 runs at an impressive average of 38.95 and a phenomenal strike rate of 144.53. He has also registered three half-centuries, highlighting his ability to make significant contributions with the bat.
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