For Mumbai Indians, IPL 2022 has been a season to forget with eight consecutive losses before bagging some wins. But by then, it was too late for them to be in reckoning for the playoffs.
In a season where their big names didn't do much, it was the youngsters who produced stunning performances to be the positives for Mumbai in a forgettable season.
Now, ahead of their final league match against Delhi Capitals on Saturday, head coach Mahela Jayawardene signalled teenage left-handed batter Tilak Varma as the standout young player for the side in IPL 2022.
The Hyderabad-based Varma has been Mumbai's leading run-getter in the tournament, making 376 runs in 13 matches at an average of 37.60 and strike-rate of 131.46.
"If you pick on individuals, Tilak is probably the standout young player, scoring almost 400 runs. He has been asked to do a few different roles this year for us, batted at three, four, five and even finished a game recently. He has faced up to the challenges well in different situations against good bowling units. He has responded well and shown lot of good qualities along the way," said Jayawardene in the pre-match virtual press conference.
Jayawardene's words come eight days after captain Rohit Sharma had earmarked Varma to be an all-format player for India very soon when the youngster absorbed pressure and remained unbeaten on 34 in a small chase of 98 against Chennai Super Kings. He further spoke about South Africa batting prodigy Dewald Brevis, who sparkled in the chances he got in the season. IANS
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