India’s coach Gautam Gambhir, right, Tilak Varma (PTI Photo)
With India needing close to 70 runs in the final five overs and only four wickets remaining, the contest appeared to be New Zealand’s side. Tilak and Nitish, however, produced a stunning counterattack, adding an unbeaten 69 runs off 30 balls to complete the chase. “So that’s what was going through my mind.
Named Player of the Match for his decisive knock, Tilak revealed that Gambhir and Kotak had backed him to take responsibility and finish the game if he remained at the crease.
I was talking with both of them, and they said one thing: ‘We all believe, and the whole of India believes in you. If you stay till the end, then you will win the game for us’,” Tilak said during the post-match presentation. So, I was telling Naman that we’ll push hard in running between the wickets when spinners were bowling,” he said.
The left-hander added that the message stayed with him when he walked out to bat amid India’s collapse. Rather than chasing the target recklessly, he focused on taking the game deep and giving himself the best chance to finish the job. I wanted to take the game as deep as possible, and at the end of the day, again, what everyone has believed and has done. So I’m really proud of myself,” he added. Tilak also explained how he approached the partnership with Naman, stressing the importance of staying at the crease and keeping the scoreboard moving on a surface that played slower than it had in the opening match.
Tilak Varma revealed the special message he received from India head coach Gautam Gambhir and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak ahead of the second T20I against New Zealand, which proved instrumental in inspiring his match-winning performance in Christchurch on Saturday. “Just before today’s game, I was talking with coach Gautam sir and Sitanshu Kotak sir. “I was telling Naman that we’ll stay till the end, and especially the wicket was slightly slower today, compared to the last game.