“Main mehnat kraya, vo mehnat kiya” - Tilak Varma’s childhood coach unfazed by his success in IND vs WI T20I series

Tilak Varma’s childhood coach Salam Bayash has hailed the Hyderabad batter for his exploits for Team India in the ongoing five-match T20I series in West Indies. Bayash said that Varma was destined to be a big player because of the efforts and hard work he has put into his game.

Varma was the top scorer for Team India in the first two T20Is. The 20-year-old smashed 39 off 22 on his debut before becoming the second youngest to score a half-century in T20Is for the Men in Blue in the second game. The left-handed batter smashed 51 off 41 deliveries, including one six and five boundaries.

Bayash told News18:

“He belongs to a very humble background. Main mehnat kraya, vo mehnat kiya (I asked him to put in the effort and he followed me). I’m very happy for him."

He continued:

"Every coach wants to see his student playing for the country and my wish got fulfilled. I always believed that he is destined to be a big player and we just kept working hard towards this.”

For the uninitiated, Tilak Varma earned his maiden call-up following his exploits in the Indian Premier League. He amassed 740 runs in 25 games at a strike rate of 144.53, including three half-centuries in the last two IPL seasons.

Bayash added how Varma’s father, who worked as an electrician, supported him during his early days:

“From morning 6 to evening 6, he used to be in the academy. He used to fall asleep while sitting behind me and I used to be afraid that he might fall while sleeping because he used to get that tired."

He added:

"So, I asked his parents to make a shift nearby to the academy. Tilak’s job was only to focus on cricket and his zeal and passion made me concentrate more on developing his skills.”

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When Tilak Varma fulfilled Salam Bayash’s dream of meeting Sachin Tendulkar

Salam Bayash also revealed how Mumbai Indians (MI) player Tilak Varma fulfilled more than a decade-long wish to meet legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who serves as the MI mentor in the Indian Premier League. He said:

“Sachin sir likes him very much. I will tell you another instance. Tilak told him that my teacher is a very big fan of yours. So, Sachin Sir replied, ‘I know everything about you and your coach’. Last year, when Sachin sir came to Hyderabad, I got to meet him and that was a big, big moment for me.”

Tilak Varma will next be seen in action in the third T20I between India and West Indies at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Tuesday, August 8.