One of those imperious in all three departments wins this. And Tilak Varma, a local Hyderabad boy, was one of the primary catalysts as MI ended up winning by 14 runs. Operating with a strike rate of 217.65, the 20-year-old swung his blade across the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, shooting four sixes into the stands. Fresh from a match-defining cameo in the SRH vs MI fixture, Tilak spoke to the media in the official post-match press conference, first answering where his preferred batting position was.

“I am always comfortable playing in any situation. I have worked on my game on the ground accounting for all possible situations. I always tell the management that I am confident to bat anywhere, in any situation. So they are also confident and hence send me out to bat,” he said.

“I felt the wicket was light, with a turn available for the spinners. So I was just thinking about the situation, what the team needs.

“I wanted to avoid facing the spinners and just wait to play the fast bowlers. Washy (Washington Sundar) and Mayu (Mayank Markande) were bowling well. I thought about playing them before I could charge on against the fast bowlers. I didn't want to miss an over as we have a long batting lineup. So I charged my tank and went the way I wanted, so I am happy.”

Quizzed on the difference between the last season, his first, and the current one, Tilak Varma had one straight answer as a mature player. “The first season (2022), I was a youngster, but since then, I always had the team back me. They don’t see me as a youngster or a newcomer to the team. They always help me mature as a player. So it was pretty easy for me to manage, unlike the first year.”

“The team (Mumbai Indians) treat me in a way that I never feel like I'm playing the IPL or any other tournament for the first time. Being amongst the God of Cricket (Sachin Tendulkar), the Indian captain (Rohit Sharma) and everyone, I feel confident and comfortable with them.”

And as a fitting parting note, he spoke about the pieces of advice he got from his mentors. “Sachin sir told me to have a clear mindset, whether you score runs or not. Rohit sir said, put a smile on your face and give your 100 percent into what you are doing, then the rest will all go fine.”