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Tilak Verma has finally broken his silence on the Super Over controversy that created a lot of buzz during India A’s tour of Sri Lanka. The dramatic ODI against Sri Lanka A was headlined by a Super Over in low light and the play of Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
With many questioning whether the conditions were suitable for the game to continue, Tilak clarified that his main focus was always on helping his team and getting results in important matches. After the controversy, Tilak Verma also spoke openly about Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
Tilak Verma reveals leadership lessons
Currently, Tilak Verma is going through a big phase of his career, as he is not only leading India A but also preparing for his new role as India’s T20I vice-captain. The left-handed batsman said that this tour has taught him many lessons as a captain.
Since the India A team was made up of players coming from different domestic teams and IPL franchises, his biggest task was to bring everyone together and build team spirit.
“There was a lot to learn, especially about handling pressure. We came into this tournament as a group that had not played together before. Everyone was coming from different teams and different IPL environments, and then suddenly they had to come together for India A. It helped that everyone had played enough domestic cricket,” Tilak Verma was quoted as saying by Sportstar.
Tilak Verma told his captaincy formula
The Hyderabad captain said that captaincy does not only mean taking decisions on the field. It is also about understanding the players, knowing how they think under pressure and helping them feel comfortable and that is why he is spending so much time with the India A players.
Tilak further added, “As a captain, the biggest learning for me is to understand each player – how they react under pressure, what is their mindset and how to get the best out of them. I spend a lot of time with the players off the field as it helps me understand them better.”
The India A skipper also shared that he has learned important leadership lessons from watching Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, who scored a unique hat-trick in the IND vs AFG 3rd ODI for both Mumbai Indians and Team India in the last few years.
He added, “I know how important those relationships become when you’re in the middle. I’ve tried to implement some of those things here, and it’s working well so far.”
Tilak Verma breaks silence on Super Over controversy
Addressing the controversial Super Over, Tilak admitted that the conditions were not ideal when the extra overs were played. However, the India A captain pointed out that both the teams had worked hard all day and with valuable points at stake, everyone wanted to get the result.
He also clarified that India A was only seeking clarity from the officials about the situation. Despite all the drama surrounding the match, there was no major argument from the team’s side.
Tilak said, “To be honest, if you look at that game, the light was not ideal for a Super Over. But we had worked hard all day and wanted the result because both teams were playing for two points. I was just asking the umpires about that. There was not much argument from our side.”
Tilak Verma eyes strong finish in Sri Lanka
He admitted that there was pressure as a captain because of the legacy of the Indian team. Tilak also reflected on India’s performance during the ongoing one-day tri-series in Sri Lanka.
He said that India A played competitive cricket throughout the series, although some results, especially DLS, did not go their way. “We still have one game (final) left. We will give our best,” Tilak said.