Triple H and Hardik Pandya (X)
Tilak Varma finally overcame his poor form, smashing a phenomenal maiden IPL century, a performance that not only led the Mumbai Indians to an important victory but also earned him acclaim from Ravichandran Ashwin. After suffering multiple defeats in their previous games, Mumbai discovered their spark with Tilak’s not-out 101 off only 45 deliveries against the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. Although the knock was notable, Ashwin emphasised skipper Hardik Pandya’s impact during the partnership, noting that his lively discussions with Tilak on the field significantly altered the innings’ energy.
Ashwin even compared the MI captain to WWE superstar ‘Triple H’ as he was motivating the youngster to continue with the same note.
“Hardik 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,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
While Hardik was playing the anchor in the innings, his presence and support seemed to contribute to keeping Tilak engaged. From that point, the young left-handed batsman took control, breaking down a formidable bowling lineup and swinging the match firmly in Mumbai’s direction.
Ashwin was especially impressed by the quality of the innings, ranking it among the best he has seen in the IPL.
“This 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,” he said on his YouTube channel.
The circumstances rendered the achievement even more remarkable. This was not a typical hundred on a batting-friendly pitch, but one achieved against a strong opposition with established match-winners like Rashid Khan and Mohammed Siraj.
Tilak’s late burst propelled Mumbai to a total well above a challenging mark.
Ashwin also pinpointed the last overs as the decisive factor that determined Gujarat’s outcome.
“The 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,” he added.
That final push was crucial, as Mumbai turned a solid total into a match-winning one, placing Gujarat under too much pressure to chase.
Vishal Pushkar is a Chief Sub-Editor with NewsX and has been associated with the company since March 2026. He has been working as a journalist since 2021. His experience includes working with Zee Media, Amazon and Dainik Jagran. Vishal holds a BA (English Honours) degree from Shyam Lal College, University of Delhi and a Post-Graduate Diploma from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi. Vishal has completed a beginner’s course in the German language as well.
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