Batsman
Age: 24 years

Hometown: Hyderabad, India
Family: Son of an electrician
Early Struggles: Limited resources but immense natural talent
Mentorship: Discovered by childhood coach Salim Bayash while playing tennis ball cricket
Trained at Legala Cricket Academy, traveling 40 km daily, with all expenses covered by his coach
Breakthrough: Impressed in domestic circuits and age-group cricket
IPL Debut: Picked by Mumbai Indians in the 2022 IPL Auction
IPL 2022:
Franchise finished last, but Varma stood out
Second-highest run-scorer for MI
Showed composure and class against top-tier bowlers
IPL 2023:
Followed up with another consistent season, reinforcing his potential
India Debut (T20I): Called up for the 2023 series vs West Indies
Role: Middle-order stabilizer with the ability to accelerate
Skillset:
Stylish left-handed batting
Part-time off-break bowling, adding depth to the squad
Still in his early 20s, Tilak Varma is viewed as a long-term asset for Indian cricket. With a mature head on young shoulders and the ability to adapt across conditions and roles, he is considered one of the brightest upcoming stars in the country’s batting lineup.