“I like finishing games, I am learning from Rinku” - Tilak Varma
Team India batter Tilak Varma has stated that he is learning how to finish games from Rinku Singh. The 26-year-old asserted that he is confident of doing the same in the coming matches.
While India beat Australia by two wickets in the first T20I in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, November 23, Varma had a poor game with the bat. He was out for 12 off 10 balls, perishing to Tanveer Sangha. Suryakumar Yadav (80 off 42), however, played a captain’s knock before Rinku (22* off 14) finished the game even as wickets fell at the other end.
At a press conference ahead of the second T20I, which will be played at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, November 26, Varma shared his thoughts on Rinku, the finisher.
“I like finishing games. I am learning from Rinku. He is doing it very consistently for India. I also want to do [finish games]. I think in coming match I will be doing that,” he asserted.
The 21-year-old also opened up about how he keeps himself involved in the game when not batting or bowling. Stating that all players need to contribute with their ideas, he elaborated:
“It is important for all 11 players to be involved in a match. All players have their thoughts and they share the same with the captain. It’s up to the captain then to take a decision on the same. So, all the players chip in with their thoughts.”
Varma has featured in 11 T20Is so far, scoring 243 runs at an average of 34.71 and a strike rate of 141.27.
“He’s very calm and clear in his thoughts” - Varma on Suryakumar Yadav
In Hardik Pandya’s absence due to injury, Suryakumar Yadav is leading the Indian side in the T20Is against Australia. The latter played a brilliant innings under pressure and lifted the Men in Blue to victory in Visakhapatnam.
Speaking about Suryakumar’s leadership skills, Varma commented:
“I have played before under Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy in the IPL. He captained Mumbai Indians in one game. He’s very calm and clear in his thoughts. He’s a very good captain. We have seen in the last match also that he played well in a tough situation. He managed well.”
The youngster also added that the team is not thinking too much about the loss to Australia in the World Cup final and is taking things on a game-by-game basis.
“It’s not about defeating Australia. We are just taking it one game at a time. We had one bad day and we lost. Otherwise, we were fantastic in the World Cup,” he said.
India were unbeaten in the World Cup heading into the final, where they lost to Australia by six wickets.