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Suryakumar Yadav Credits 'Gurukul' Mumbai Indians For Tilak Varma's Recent Success
Follow UsThe southpaw scored a match-winning half-century to help India lift another Asia Cup title
Tilak Varma scored a match-winning half-century in the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan, which came under immense pressure. His 53-ball 69 came when Pakistan seemed to be well under control, and India, despite beating their arch-rivals twice in the tournament, were going to succumb to a defeat in a crucial game.
As a result, the southpaw earned a lot of applause from the cricket community, and now his skipper, Suryakumar Yadav, too has joined in. The duo play together in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the Mumbai Indians (MI), and Surya has credited the franchise for continuously churning out talent after another.
“When we were in South Africa [in November 2024] and he scored two centuries, we got to know that Tilak Varma has arrived. But he showed us the real Tilak Varma in the [Asia Cup] final. He showed us what the real Tilak Varma is," Surya said in a video posted by MI on social media, according to News18.
"All of us – me, Bumrah, Tilak, Rohit Bhai, and Hardik – before India, we play for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. The Mumbai Indians are like a Gurukul [School] where they make players.
"So when he played for India, he was already prepared. Tilak knew that he had played in such pressure situations before and had played good knocks in such situations before. I have been in such situations before. So I know what needs to be done."
Surya also credited Tilak's discipline and lauded the way his match awareness during the Asia Cup final.
“If anyone has noticed, then the reverse sweep and switch hit are his favourite shots. It is so favourite that he can’t live without playing it. But if you see, he didn’t play that shot even once in the final. So those things, the discipline that I am talking about… To bring it at such a young age, I think it’s creditable," the India and MI skipper said.
“And the way he controlled the situation [in the final], although he was playing ball-to-ball, sometimes the ball was more and the runs were less, but he knew. And when the first drinks break happened, Gauti Bhai had gone in, and he told him to play comfortably till the end. He told him to just stand there, and he would win the game. And he did that."
Tilak and Surya will next be in action during the three-match T20I series against Australia, starting October 29.