Mumbai Indians’ Tilak and the beauty of his maiden IPL century

By K.R. Nayar 

Mumbai. To address someone as the ‘Tilak’ of an organisation is to crown him as its finest, distinguished, honourable, or a defining member of that group. On Monday (April 20, 2026), Tilak Varma turned out to be exactly that for Mumbai Indians (MI), becoming their pride by cracking an unbeaten 101 off 45 balls and giving his team a 99-run win over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

This was Varma’s maiden IPL century. After having reported his match-winning knock of 69 against Pakistan in the 2025 Asia Cup final in Dubai, it was evident that once he is allowed to settle down, the result will almost always be in favour of the team he bats for. In Dubai, Varma walked in to bat at 20 for 3 and anchored the chase of 147. On Monday, he walked in with Mumbai reeling at 44 for 3 and ensured a fighting total of 199 for 5, something that seemed improbable at one stage. Varma’s innings turned the night into a spectacle, his knock erupting after a slow start. 

The way he changed gears to accelerate the run flow was a beauty. After scoring 19 off 22 balls, he scored 82 off the next 23 balls and reached his century off the last ball. Off the fifth ball of the final over from Prasidh Krishna, he hit a six, and followed it up with a boundary off the last delivery. His century was not merely his maiden IPL ton, but his 45-ball hundred equalled the record for the fastest-ever century for MI, tying with Sanath Jayasuriya’s 45-ball century against CSK in 2008. Incidentally, at 23 years and 163 days, he has become the youngest centurion for MI.

Varma’s ton also gave MI its first win against GT in Ahmedabad after losing four consecutive matches at this venue previously. Will it be MI’s turning point in their IPL 2026 campaign, as this knock ended MI’s losing streak, with only one win from five matches before this game?

Varma hit towering sixes and smooth boundaries. Born in Hyderabad, Varma always carries with him the timeless elegance of a left-hander. He possesses the aggression that the modern game demands. He can be mistaken for a slogger, though he is not. He is a batter who understands the tempo. Like many young and promising batters, his journey has had its dips. Since he has all the strokes from the book, expectations off him mounted. Soon, he became a dependable middle-order pillar.

Closely watch his knock, and one can see how he seizes the game. The manner in which he pierces the off side is classy. His shots to midwicket are powerful, and all shots to long-on or long-off are backed with control and timing. When he drives, it seems like the gaps are too wide, waiting for him.

Many a time, his shots look like a glide to the boundary. To play a match-winning knock from the most chaotic of situations is a trait found only in players with decades of experience. Varma’s innings at the Narendra Modi Stadium could well be a glimpse – a preview of many such nights to come.