India’s vice-captain Tilak Varma said the plan was to take the game deep when the visitors were chasing 181 runs in the second T20I against New Zealand at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch on Saturday. Varma admitted the pitch was on the slow side and it was not easy to hit sixes as Hagley Oval has big boundaries.
India was reeling at 70-5 after 10.5 overs, and the target of 181 runs looked out of reach at that stage. However, Tilak added 42 runs off 24 balls with Naman Dhir, with the latter doing the bulk of the scoring. Subsequently, he added 69 runs off just 30 balls with Nitish Kumar Reddy, who scored a cameo of 13-ball 26.
Varma scored a match-winning knock of 51 runs off just 26 balls, including six fours and a six. Thus, he was awarded Player of the Match for his fine performance.
“I think the wicket was really challenging today. Especially if you see, big ground, the pitch was on the slower side. When they were bowling bouncers, it was coming on really quickly. So it was not easy to hit sixes whenever you wanted to. Honestly, if you look at the first game, it was easy to hit sixes. We want to show our fitness level, our core work, in the game in those twos, singles, running hard,” Tilak Varma said in an interaction with Nitish Kumar Reddy released by BCCI.
The left-hander revealed he had promised head coach Gautam Gambhir and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak about taking the game deep.
“When Naman was batting, I also wanted to go for the big shots, but I had promised myself to Gautam sir and Kotak sir that I will take the game deep from the next game onwards. When Naman was there I told myself that I will be calm and take the game deep,” Tilak Varma said.
The third T20I between India and New Zealand will be played at Hnry Stadium, Wellington on Tuesday.
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