Last Updated on 1 month ago by Charbel Coorey
Tilak Varma played some crucial knocks in India’s 2026 T20 World Cup title. Initially, he batted at number 3, but later on his batting position changed, where he excelled with his quickfire cameos and boundary hitting.
Tilak Varma’s head coach, Salam Bayash, told The Indian Express about how Tilak called him after India’s game against Zimbabwe. The key topics of conversation? Tilak’s journey, his emotional bond with his coach, and the new-found confidence to bat anywhere at international level.
Bayash said, “Tilak called him after the game against Zimbabwe, where he scored 44 runs off just 16 deliveries, and he said, ‘I will play in all positions and show now.'”
He also said that Tilak was 12 years old when he came to him (Bayash) and his cricket academy was 40 kilometers away from Tilak’s home. His father initially said no.
It was then his coach who sorted out the transport, waived off the fees, and made sure his father didn’t have to pick him up and drop him off. After all this the Indian left-hander’s father agreed.
Tilak Varma story: The emotional bond between the coach and pupil
Tilak Varma had suffered a back injury ahead of the T20 World Cup. His coach told him, “ups and downs are common. Every cricketer, even the greats, tends to get injured but they mentally strong and this time shall pass.”
The coach also scolded Tilak about his shot selections when he struggled in the initial games of the tournament. He told him to work on his errors (shot selection). And before the big final, he had told his pupil, “do your best in whatever position you get to bat, or even if you don’t get to bat, do well in fielding. We are only one step away from the dream.”
Bayash had trained Tilak to be ready for any situation, and all the training is now reflecting in his performances on the biggest stage for the Indian cricket team.
Salam Bayash was in the ICU for 15 days during COVID, and his chances were looking slim. During that time, Tilak used to visit him every day before he was scolded by his coach to stop coming and focus on his practice instead.
Tilak stopped entering the room, but he sat outside, assured his coach’s wife, and talked to the doctors as well. Bayash said that there are no words to express his happiness after Tilak won the title and put the medal around his coach’s neck.
It is another feather in Tilak’s cap after winning player of the match in the 2025 Asia Cup Final against Pakistan. In that game, the left-hander struck a crucial 69* off 53 balls to help India chase the 147-run target in tricky conditions in Dubai.
