Tilak Varma

The son of an electrician from Hyderabad, Tilak Varma didn’t have the best resources growing up, but what he possessed was a natural flair for batting. Spotted by his childhood coach while playing tennis-ball cricket, Tilak was taken under his wing and supported through his formative years. As a teenager, he travelled nearly 40 kilometers to and fro to train at the Legala Cricket Academy, with his expenses borne by his coach Salim Bayash - a sacrifice that laid the foundation for his rise.

Those early efforts paid off when Mumbai Indians picked him up in the 2022 IPL auction. While that season turned out to be a forgettable one for the franchise as they finished at the bottom of the table, Tilak emerged as a rare bright spot, finishing as one of their leading run-scorers and showing remarkable composure against top-quality bowling. He backed it up with another strong season, which earned him his maiden T20I call-up for India during the West Indies series.

Since then, Tilak has grown into a reliable presence in the middle order for both Mumbai Indians and India. His ability to absorb pressure, rotate strike, and accelerate when needed, along with his handy off-spin, has made him a valuable asset. In IPL 2025 as well, Tilak played a crucial role for Mumbai Indians, delivering another consistent season with the bat and often anchoring the innings in challenging situations, further cementing his place as one of the team’s core players.