Mumbai Indians are known for scouting one of the best talents in IPL. From Jasprit Bumrah to Hardik Pandya, the five-time IPL champs have unearthed various gems in Indian cricket, and it seems they've done it again with Tilak Varma, who is earning plaudits for his performances in the cash-rich league.
The youngster raised eyebrows when he was picked up by Mumbai Indians at the IPL 2022 mega auction for a sum of INR 1.7 crore, but judging by his performances, it seems Mumbai Indians have found yet another gem.
Even though Rohit Sharma's team have lost both of their games in IPL this season, Tilak Varma has earned plaudits after scoring 22 and 61 respectively, with a combined strike rate of 173.
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In a recent interview, Varma opened up on facing 'financial difficulties' in life and how the IPL has completely changed his life.
"Growing up, we’ve had a lot of financial difficulties. My father with his meagre salary had to look after my cricket expenses as well as my elder brother’s studies. In the last few years, with some sponsorship and match fees, I could just about take care of my cricketing expenses," the youngster told Cricbuzz.
Even though the southpaw was part of India's U-19 squad in 2020 U19 World Cup, he couldn't set the tournament alight, but his performances in the domestic circuit helped Tilak Varma land a lucrative contract with Mumbai Indians. He hopes to buy a house for his family now.
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"We don’t own a house as yet. So with whatever I have earned in this IPL, my only aim is to get a house for my parents. This IPL money gives me the luxury to play freely for the rest of my career," said Varma.
He continued, "The day the IPL auction was going on, I was on a video call with my coach. My coach started tearing up when the bids kept going higher. After I was picked, I called up my parents. They too started crying over the call. My mother was struggling to get words out."
