Tilak Varma says he promised Gambhir and Kotak he would finish the chase
Tilak Varma revealed pre-match conversations with Gambhir and Kotak before guiding India to a four-wicket win with an unbeaten 51.
Tilak Varma told head coach Gautam Gambhir and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak he would take the game deep if it came down to that. He stayed not out on 51 off 26 balls as India chased 181 in Christchurch, with Nitish Kumar Reddy for company. The pair added an unbroken 69 for the seventh wicket after India lost early wickets.
Tilak said he spoke with the coaches before the match, when both backed him to finish the chase. He credited Naman Dhir for the earlier partnership, saying their plan was to push hard with running between the wickets against the spinners. After Dhir fell, Tilak and Nitish waited for the fast bowlers before attacking, hitting the required pace on the large ground.
India reached the target with one ball to spare and took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Tilak received the Player of the Match award at the presentation.
CricHubb Take
The conversation before the match shows how much responsibility the 23-year-old now carries in India's T20I middle order.