Tilak engineers MI resurrection

The Mumbai Indians' batting against Gujarat Titans can be split into two halves - the first, like an old tennis ball, flat and lifeless; the second, like a new one, full of fizz, bounce and pace. The spectacular shift in approach resurrected MI's fortunes, and may even have turned their season on its head. At the Narendra Modi Stadium in , the five-time champions looked well and truly back in IPL 2026.

They dropped a seasoned opener (Ryan Rickelton), whose inclusion they had steadfastly defended from Game 1; handed a debut to a rookie (Danish Malewar), who hadn't played an official T20 game till date; and brought in two overseas spinners (Mitchell Santner and Allah Ghazanfar) at a time when, across IPL teams, the trend has, largely, been to back Indian spinners. One wondered if they were desperate measures of desperate times.

The start also lacked purpose - 46 for 3 in the PowerPlay, when the average PP score of the season is 60 (MI's own is 56). At the halfway mark, they were 75 for 3 - the fifth lowest of the season - against an average of 96 this season. It all seemed lost until Tilak Varma came along.

An animated discussion with captain Hardik Pandya during the batting timeout and he became a different batter - aggressive, purposeful and relentless. From 103 for 4, MI added 96 to the total, with scores of 19, 4, 15, 26, 10 and 22 coming in the final six overs. Tilak himself unleashed a late blitz like a tidal wave, and the flourish fetched 73 in the final four overs.

Tilak's progression was no less dramatic - from 19 off his first 22 balls (SR 86.36), he sped to 82 off the next 23 deliveries at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 356.52. His unbeaten 101 - his maiden IPL century - was a momentum-shifting, game-changing effort that could have far-reaching implications for the season.

Hardik said it was much-needed. "The kind of talent Tilak has, he really does not need to worry about a lot. So the only message I kept telling him was that 'you're gonna just watch the ball and hit the ball irrespective of what,' because I genuinely believe the kind of ball striking from his bat is something really special. It was about time that he kind of came and delivered."

Before Monday's game, Tilak (23) had managed a mere 43 in the first five games. But he is known to possess a keen sense of occasion. His unbeaten 69 in the Asia Cup memorable final is a testament to his game awareness, while the 21-run cameo - featuring three sixes - in the T20 World Cup semifinal against England was equally impactful. These efforts showcase his relish for pressure and big moments.

"I was just seeing the situation, what the team needs. And at that moment, I was stable, keeping my head still and following my basics. And you know, I've got all the fancy shots. When the team needs it, I can use that. But especially when you're batting under pressure, all you need is backing your skill. And that's what I backed today, and it has given me good results," Tilak said looking back.

Tilak largely possesses a low-risk technique, which dovetails seamlessly with his temperament - or perhaps it is the other way round. An off-side player, his range seems to now include on-side hits as well. He tends to loft the ball over mid-off and swing towards fine-leg and he benefited from GT's field-placements which left those areas vacant. Often he goes over square-leg, like the match-defining six in the last over of the Asia Cup final off Haris Rauf. He played a similar shot, off Prasidh Krishna, in the final over towards the longer side of the ground. Confidence!

The 20th over was nothing short of sensational. Tilak was on 80, with MI at 177 for 5. A century for the batter and 200 for the side - both psychologically uplifting milestones - were within reach, and Tilak went for both. He began with a lucky four to third man, followed by that memorable six over square leg. A single each from Tilak and Sherfane Rutherford later, he was back on strike. He then swung one, sitting on his knees, for a magical six over fine leg off a Prasidh Krishna full toss and finished the innings with a four through square bringing up his century and setting a target of 200 for GT.

It was an assault rarely seen from a middle-order batter who became only the fourth No. 5 to score a century in IPL history. The effort was special considering the highest score in the Gujarat Titans innings was 26. The black soil surface was two-paced and it added to the difficulty for the batters. GT were all out for 100, handing MI a massive 99-run win.

GT batting coach Matthew Hayden paid the ultimate tribute to Tilak. "When you blink against a world-class player like Tilak Varma - even on a slightly spicy wicket - it can cost you, and that was our downfall. We couldn't arrest the negative momentum that went against us, largely because of the performance Tilak put on tonight. It wasn't one-dimensional or cookie-cutter - it was a dominant display, especially down the ground. He read the conditions superbly. When we went into the wicket, he was able to pick it early and play with both power and precision. Tilak had his day, and he's now put Mumbai Indians in a position where, after seeming short on belief, they've suddenly turned things around."