Who Tilak Varma? - Mumbai's INR 1.7 crore recruit

Shaping a player's future is what Mumbai has been most successful in doing over the years. Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya are the best examples of that. Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar are the other players in the making. They have now purchased Tilak Varma in the auction for a price of 1.7 crores.

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Hyderabad player, Tilak Varma was also seen in the U-19 World Cup 2020 representing India. When his electrician father was not able to support him financially, his coach was there for his aid. He has now grabbed the best imaginable deal with the Mumbai team.

"It's okay not to write about me, but definitely do highlight Salam sir. He bought me the cricketing gears and took care of most of the expenses. So it's all because of him and my family's support I'm here," Varma was quoted by Indian Express.

Speaking of the difficult times he faced during the lockdowns imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic, he said, "There was a lot of suffering and we had to cut down our expenses during the pandemic. But my coach ensured that I continued playing cricket. Hopefully, things will turn better now."

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Upon his selection by the Mumbai team, he said that he never expected the huge price tag they paid for him. He said that this will give him an opportunity to learn from the big players of the team and that this was a dream moment for him.

"I was confident of playing IPL but never expected to get this price tag. It's a dream come true for me to play with a team I always loved. It will give me a perfect opportunity to learn and hone my skills, playing alongside the greats," he said.

Varma's head coach, Salam Bayash on his selection

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On his mentee's selection, Salam said, "I can't be happier, it's the result of his patience and perseverance. It's been a long journey of hard work for us. Mumbai is a big franchise and has produced many players like Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and I hope Tilak goes a long way too."

Salam hoped that Tilak gets a few chances to represent the team. He has good cricketing shots to his armory and also is very patient, Salam said. He prefers batting at number three but is a flexible player, and can also finish games. Tilak also pays attention to his off-spin, said Salam.

Varma made his Ranji Trophy debut with the Hyderabad team three years ago and is playing with them this season too. He has also represented Hyderabad in Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as well.