This article is a complete profile of Tilak Varma, tracing his journey from a young left-handed batter in Hyderabad to a dependable performer for India and Mumbai Indians.
It covers his early life, IPL rise, international breakthroughs, playing style, key stats, and family background in a clear, quick-read format.
Tilak Varma Profile Overview
Player Profile: Tilak Varma
Vital Stats & Career
- Full Name: Namboori Thakur Tilak Varma (Born: 8 Nov 2002)
- Role: Batting All-Rounder (Left-hand bat, Right-arm offbreak)
- Key Teams: Hyderabad (2018–present), Mumbai Indians (2022–present), India, India A, India U19, South Zone
- International Debuts:
- T20I – August 2023 vs West Indies
- ODI – September 2023 vs Bangladesh
Personal Life & Ink
While he keeps his private life quiet, Tilak uses tattoos to tell his story:
- Faith: A sleeve featuring Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, and “Om Namah Shivay.”
- Family: A tribute to his parents and a tattoo of his dog, Trigger.
Fielding & Fitness
Known for his agility and high fitness standards, he is a versatile asset in the field:
- Reliability: Highly regarded as a safe pair of hands both inside the circle and in the deep
- Key Positions: Usually patrols the Covers, Deep Mid-wicket, or the Long-on/off boundaries.
Tilak Varma Early Life & Family Background
Tilak Varma was born in Hyderabad into a Telugu-speaking Namboori Hindu family and grew up in modest financial circumstances.
Family background
- Father: Namburi Nagaraju (electrician)
- Mother: Gayatri Devi (homemaker)
- Siblings: One elder brother and one sister
Cricket became part of Tilak’s life at a young age. At 11 years old, he was spotted playing tennis-ball cricket by coach Salam Bayash.
Due to financial limitations, Tilak could not afford professional training, and Bayash personally covered his coaching fees and equipment costs until the family moved closer to the academy.
Early education & influence
- Studied at Crescent Model English School, Hyderabad
- Trained at Legala Cricket Academy, Lingampally
- Mentored closely by Salam Bayash
These early struggles, combined with disciplined training and unwavering mentor support, shaped Tilak Varma’s calm temperament, work ethic, and professional mindset.
Tilak Varma Playing Style, Strengths & Weaknesses
Playing Style
- Clean, wristy strokeplay
- Excellent strike rotation in the middle overs
- Comfortable against both pace and spin
- Part-time right-arm off-spinner, used occasionally
- Thrives in pressure chases and high-stakes T20 matches
Strengths
- Calm temperament under pressure
- Consistent run-scoring in T20 cricket
- Strong player of spin
- Flexible across batting positions
- Proven big-match mentality
Weaknesses
- Bowling remains a secondary skill
- Limited exposure in ODIs so far
- Injury interruptions during early international phase
Leadership & Domestic Captaincy
Tilak’s growing maturity translated into leadership responsibilities at the national and zonal levels.
Leadership roles
- Captain, India ‘A’ – 2024 ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup
- Captain, South Zone – 2025-26 Duleep Trophy
Tilak Varma Career Journey: Domestic, IPL & International
Domestic & Under-19 Career
Tilak Varma began his domestic career with Hyderabad at a very young age and quickly gained attention for his composure and batting maturity across formats.
Key domestic debuts
- First-Class debut: 30 December 2018 (Ranji Trophy, Hyderabad)
- List A debut: 28 September 2019 (Vijay Hazare Trophy vs Saurashtra)
- T20 debut: 2018–19 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
He was selected for the India U-19 squad for the 2020 ICC U-19 World Cup, where India finished runners-up.
India U-19 World Cup 2020
- Matches played: 6
- Runs scored: 86
- Role: Middle-order left-handed batter
Domestic Breakthrough & Records
Tilak’s domestic performances steadily improved, with standout seasons in limited-overs cricket highlighting his all-round batting ability.
Major domestic highlights
- Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021–22:
- 215 runs
- Strike rate: 147.26
- Second-highest run-scorer for Hyderabad
- Vijay Hazare Trophy
- 2020–21: 180 runs + 5 wickets
- 2022: 402 runs in 7 innings (second-highest for Hyderabad)
- SMAT 2024-25
- 151* off 67 balls vs Meghalaya
- Highest individual score in tournament history
- First cricketer to score three consecutive T20 centuries
Tilak Varma IPL Career – Mumbai Indians
Tilak Varma was signed by Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2022 mega auction for ₹1.7 crore, immediately becoming a key part of their middle order.
IPL overview
- IPL debut: 27 March 2022 vs Delhi Capitals
- Retained for IPL 2025: ₹8 crore
- Franchise: Mumbai Indians
Tilak Varma Season-Wise IPL Performance
IPL 2022 (Debut Season)
- Matches: 14
- Runs: 397
- Strike rate: 131.02
- Role: Middle-order stabilizer
IPL 2023
- Matches: 11
- Runs: 343
- Strike rate: 164.11
- Top score: 84* vs RCB
IPL 2024
- Runs: 416
- Strike rate: 149.64
- Half-centuries: 3
- Notable knocks:
- 65 off 45 vs Rajasthan Royals
- 64 off 34 while chasing 278 vs SRH
Tilak Varma International Career Highlights (India)
Tilak’s IPL consistency earned him an India call-up in 2023, where he made an immediate impact in white-ball cricket.
T20 International Career
- T20I debut: August 2023 vs West Indies
- Top scorer of the series: 173 runs
- South Africa T20Is 2024:
- 107 off 56 balls
- 120* off 47 balls
- Part of a record 210-run partnership with Sanju Samson
ODI Career
- ODI debut: September 2023 vs Bangladesh
- Used primarily as a middle-order batting option
Major international milestones
- Asian Games 2023: Gold medal; 55 in semi-final vs Bangladesh
- Asia Cup 2025 Final: Player of the Match – 69* vs Pakistan
- Third-fastest T20I century by an Indian (41 balls)
- Second-highest Indian T20I score (120*)
- ICC T20I Batting Rankings: World No. 3 (highest-ranked Indian)
Tilak Varma Stats Overview
Tilak Varma: Batting & Fielding Stats
| Cat. | ODIs | T20Is | FC | List A | T20s |
| Mat | 5 | 41 | 23 | 47 | 135 |
| Inns | 4 | 38 | 35 | 45 | 127 |
| NO | 1 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 32 |
| Runs | 68 | 1208 | 1562 | 1867 | 4117 |
| HS | 52 | 120* | 121 | 156* | 151 |
| Ave | 22.66 | 48.32 | 50.38 | 46.67 | 43.33 |
| BF | 119 | 837 | 2967 | 2068 | 2849 |
| SR | 57.14 | 144.32 | 52.64 | 90.28 | 144.50 |
| 100s | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 4 |
| 50s | 1 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 24 |
| 4s | 6 | 94 | 145 | 138 | 317 |
| 6s | 1 | 62 | 41 | 60 | 200 |
| Ct | 1 | 29 | 10 | 25 | 77 |
| St | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Tilak Varma: Bowling Stats
| Cat. | ODIs | T20Is | FC | List A | T20s |
| Mat | 5 | 41 | 23 | 47 | 135 |
| Inns | 3 | 6 | 14 | 23 | 27 |
| Balls | 60 | 45 | 319 | 464 | 251 |
| Runs | 68 | 44 | 193 | 401 | 308 |
| Wkts | 0 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| BBI | – | 1/1 | 3/13 | 4/23 | 2/26 |
| BBM | – | 1/1 | 3/13 | 4/23 | 2/26 |
| Ave | – | 14.66 | 24.12 | 40.10 | 30.80 |
| Econ | 6.80 | 5.86 | 3.63 | 5.18 | 7.36 |
| SR | – | 15.0 | 39.8 | 46.4 | 25.1 |
| 4w | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 5w | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10w | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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