Pressure point: Tilak and India show the heart for a fight

The finish wasn’t without some drama, but India’s real strength lies in how they back their game irrespective of the situation

Often the best innings are those that won’t dazzle you with averages or strike rates but quietly win the game because that’s the point of competitive sport. Which is why the timing of Tilak Varma’s fifty and how it enabled two crucial partnerships with Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube is peerless.

For Varma to pace his innings from that juncture was pure calibre and patience. (ANI photo)

The win against Pakistan at Melbourne, 2022 was eked out in equally daunting circumstances—India were 31/4 at one point—but it was also largely engineered by Virat Kohli’s ingenuity. For this India setup to forge something similar between three batters of different styles is more admirable, given the circumstances leading up to the Asia Cup final.

Think about it. By ascertaining that there would be no fixed position after No 3—which too by the way was often tinkered with—India had thrown open their batting potential to a range of probabilities. Bangladesh tried to give them a close run but even then it wasn’t close enough.

When Sri Lanka finally stretched them to the wire, Arshdeep Singh came to the fore. More significantly, India hadn’t chased in both these matches. The last time they did, against Pakistan, Abhishek Sharma’s 39-ball 74 had reduced it to a no contest. So essentially, India were in new territory on Sunday, losing Abhishek cheaply, snailing to just 36 in the Powerplay.

For Varma to pace his innings from that juncture was pure calibre and patience, and a rare ability of being imperious without being imposing.

“It was a bit of pressure, but I wanted to stay at the wicket and finish games,” said Varma after India’s five-wicket win. “They were mixing up the pace. I wanted to just stay calm and finish the game for my country.” For Samson to play the kind of innings that he did wasn’t surprising but since he had not batted often in this Asia Cup, he was definitely under the pump. It didn’t show on Samson’s face though.

“Three wickets down in the Powerplay, so I just had to use my experience, calm the nerves down, and just watch the ball and react,” said Samson. “As you all know that the game dictates what type of cricket you need to play, and according to the conditions, you have to respect the conditions, you have to respect the situation. I think that’s what we have learned. Years and years of IPL, years and years of cricket, and that’s what cricket has taught us. So I just had to go out there and then look to time the ball, and that’s what really helped me.”

Varma had to play the anchor here, partly because he was read early into a pitch where the ball wasn’t coming on nicely and partly because his left-handed batting would often throw off Pakistan’s bowling. His hitting ability was never in doubt at this Asia Cup, but this situation warranted prudence that isn’t always easily available. But Varma’s preparation came in handy.

“I was prepared to bat anywhere and I was backing my game,” said Varma. “I was working hard. Especially on wickets that are on the slower side like this…sweep shots, rotating strike, that has helped me.”

Boundaries had dried up considerably but where Varma and Samson shone was in shadowing the asking rate with incredible running between the wickets. The 57-run stand between them steadied India’s innings, but it needed an impetus that only a hitter like Dube could provide.

His start was ominous, nearly running out Varma while failing to connect to a few stray deliveries. But soon, the long levers were in action. The six off Abrar Ahmed unshackled him, and once Haris Rauf bowled that full toss, Dube didn’t need a second invitation to clobber it for a six and bring the equation down to 17 off 12.

The finish wasn’t without some drama, but India’s real strength lies in how they back their game irrespective of the situation. Ten from six needed and Rinku Singh was sent in, signalling India’s preparedness to finish the game in a couple of hits.

To go to the brink and back by playing according to the need of the hour is the flipside to the strategy that makes India’s batting a controlled chaos on other days. That they know which switch to flick on when is what makes this side a champion one.