Tilak Varma\u2019s maiden IPL century not only snapped the Mumbai Indians\u2019 run of defeats, it also sparked a memorable reaction from former India spinner R Ashwin. After Mumbai\u2019s victory over the Gujarat Titans, Ashwin highlighted how a spirited moment involving Hardik Pandya during the innings seemed to lift the atmosphere, and he went on to describe Tilak\u2019s hundred as one of the finest he has seen in the league.<\/p>\n
Speaking on his YouTube channel following the win in Ahmedabad, Ashwin said the tone of the chase-and-respond narrative shifted when Hardik spoke to Tilak while the pair were batting together. With Mumbai looking for a real statement after a difficult spell, Tilak delivered exactly that\u2014remaining unbeaten on 101 off 45 balls\u2014turning what could have been a competitive outing into a dominant one.<\/p>\n
Ashwin framed the exchange in theatrical terms, drawing a comparison between Hardik\u2019s mid-innings pep talk and a WWE spectacle. \u201cHardik Pandya was talking to him (Tilak Varma) while batting, he motivated him, he did it like how we see in WWF (WWE). Just like Triple H used to do with water. So whatever Hardik Pandya said and did worked for Tilak Varma,\u201d Ashwin said on his channel.<\/p>\n
The impact of that partnership, Ashwin felt, was felt more through intensity than through raw numbers. Hardik was not the primary run-getter in that crucial stand, but his ability to keep Tilak focused and moving with purpose appeared to matter. From there, Tilak took control, striking through Gujarat\u2019s bowling attack and pushing the game firmly into Mumbai\u2019s favour.<\/p>\n
Even more striking, though, was Ashwin\u2019s assessment of the quality of the century itself. He didn\u2019t treat it as routine batting on a friendly surface; instead, he underlined the caliber of opponents Tilak had to overcome and the conditions under which the runs were made. \u201cThis is easily one of the best IPL hundreds that I have seen. To take down Ashok Sharma, Prasidh Krishna, Rashid Khan, and Mohammed Siraj on this pitch, it was probably one of the best IPL hundreds that I have ever seen,\u201d Ashwin said.<\/p>\n
That context is what made the innings stand out. Tilak\u2019s hundred was not built through slow accumulation aided by an easy spell or a stretch of loose bowling. He reached the milestone against a unit known for taking wickets, and he did it while altering the match direction decisively. His acceleration late in the chase\u2014or rather, late in Mumbai\u2019s innings\u2014helped set a total that Gujarat could not realistically chase down.<\/p>\n
Ashwin also pointed to timing, identifying the last portion of the game as the turning point. \u201cThe momentum that MI got in the last three overs, the game was over for GT. The moment MI crossed 175 on this pitch, the game was done,\u201d he said on his YouTube channel.<\/p>\n
That description matches how the contest unfolded. Tilak\u2019s late assault stretched Mumbai well beyond a defendable-but-not-dominant total and completely redrew the pressure on Gujarat. What looked like a solid score at first gradually transformed into a match-winning platform, and Gujarat never truly managed to regain control once the momentum swung.<\/p>\n
For Mumbai, the win mattered as much for its emotional reset as it did for the two points. After a challenging run, they needed one innings that restored belief, and Tilak provided it in emphatic fashion. Hardik\u2019s on-field encouragement became a second storyline\u2014one that, while delivered with a bit of theatrical flair in Ashwin\u2019s commentary, carried a serious message underneath. The captain found the right moment, the batter responded, and Mumbai walked away with a victory capable of changing the feel of an entire season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Tilak Varma\u2019s maiden IPL century not only snapped the Mumbai Indians\u2019 run of defeats, it also sparked a memorable reaction from former India spinner R…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4178,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"R Ashwin Praises Tilak Varma\u2019s Maiden IPL Ton After MI vs GT","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"R Ashwin praises Tilak Varma\u2019s maiden IPL century as Hardik Pandya\u2019s pep talk ignites Mumbai Indians\u2019 turnaround vs Gujarat Titans.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n