Former Indian Test opener Wasim Jaffer lavished praise on Tilak Varma after Mumbai Indians registered a six-wicket win against Punjab Kings at Dharamshala on Thursday. In the run chase of 201, Tilak Varma scored a majestic knock of 75 runs off just 33 balls.
The left-hander scored six fours and as many sixes in his match-winning knock. The southpaw scored his runs at a strike rate of 227.27 and was awarded Player of the Match for his fine batting performance.
Tilak added 61 runs with Sherfane Rutherford and then added 56 runs with Will Jacks and did the bulk of the scoring in both partnerships.
Wasim Jaffer said on his YouTube Channel, “I sometimes get surprised that ye woh ladka tha jisko MI ne retired out karya tha (He is the same guy who was retired out by MI). You see how many times he has done it for India and MI. He is an amazing talent and is an all-format player, not just a T20 player. When he gets a chance in the other formats is a different thing, but he is an amazing player with tremendous temperament and skills. The boy is very hardworking, and I like his work ethic.”
Jaffer said Varma has made a mark for himself in a star-studded MI squad.
“He stands out among all these stars. I remember that in his first season, MI had a very terrible season, but he outshone in that star-studded team. Since then, it was clear that this guy has a lot of potential.”
The former flamboyant batter also praised Jasprit Bumrah’s captaincy after MI registered a win against PBKS.
“He is a very intelligent guy. You see him talk in the press conference, or the way he understands bowling. It won’t surprise me that he can be a good captain. The Indian team also showed confidence in him and gave him captaincy in the WTC final when Rohit was not available.”
Jaffer was asked if Bumrah could take the leadership role on a permanent basis. He said the fast bowler’s workload could be a hindrance in the captaincy role.
“I feel that he is captaincy material; there is no doubt in this. Whether he will do it or not is a different thing because it also depends on his fitness and how many matches he remains available for. This is a big issue. If you are a captain, you have to give full commitment and play every match. Can he do it? That is a question mark,” Jaffer elaborated.
Mumbai Indians will next take on Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Wednesday.
