{"id":183025,"date":"2026-06-20T04:21:35","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T09:51:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=183025"},"modified":"2026-06-20T04:21:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T09:51:35","slug":"tilak-varma-credits-rohit-sharma-influence-in-shaping-his-leadership-style","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=183025","title":{"rendered":"Tilak Varma credits Rohit Sharma influence in shaping his leadership style"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

The batting talent was never in doubt. What Indian cricket is now discovering is Tilak Varma, the leader.<\/p>\n

Over the last fortnight in Sri Lanka, the left-hander has had to do far more than score runs.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As India-A captain, he has been tasked with bringing together a group assembled from different corners of the country, guiding the young players through pressure situations and handling the expectations that come with wearing the captain\u2019s armband.<\/p>\n

With a new assignment as India\u2019s T20I vice-captain also awaiting him, Tilak finds himself at an important juncture in his career. Yet amid the growing responsibilities, his philosophy remains remarkably simple: focus on self-improvement, stay grounded, and keep learning.<\/p>\n

In this conversation with\u00a0 Sportstar<\/i>, Tilak opens up on leadership, pressure, mentorship and the lessons he has borrowed from Rohit Sharma.<\/p>\n

Q: You\u2019ve captained before, but this has been a tough tour, leading India-A. What have been the biggest learnings?<\/b><\/p>\n

A: There have been a lot of learnings, especially around handling pressure. We came into this tournament as a group that hadn\u2019t played together before. Everyone was coming from different teams and different IPL environments, and then suddenly they had to come together for India-A.<\/p>\n

What helped was that everyone has played enough domestic cricket. As a captain, the biggest learning for me has been understanding each player \u2014 how they react under pressure, what their mindset is and how to get the best out of them. I spend a lot of time with players off the field because that helps me understand them better.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve seen Rohit\u00a0 bhai<\/i>\u00a0do that with Mumbai Indians and with the Indian team. I know how important those relationships become when you\u2019re out in the middle. I\u2019ve tried to implement some of those things here, and it\u2019s worked well so far.<\/p>\n

How do you keep yourself calm when things don\u2019t go your way, especially after an emotionally charged game like the Super Over against Sri Lanka-A?<\/b><\/p>\n

Honestly, if you look at that game, the light wasn\u2019t ideal for a Super Over. But we had worked hard throughout the day and wanted a result because both teams were playing for two points. That\u2019s all I was asking the umpires about. There wasn\u2019t much argument from our side.<\/p>\n

READ: Ten Doeschate: Nitish Kumar Reddy is Hardik Pandya\u2019s natural successor<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

As for pressure, yes, it comes with leading India because of the legacy attached to the team. But pressure is part of the job. We\u2019ve actually played good cricket in this tournament. Against Afghanistan-A, the DLS result didn\u2019t go our way. Against Sri Lanka-A, it was a very close game. But overall, we\u2019ve played well as a team, and now we have one game left. We\u2019ll give it our best.<\/p>\n

After a long IPL season, how challenging is it to adapt to the longer format, especially in these conditions in Sri Lanka?<\/b><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not really about changing formats because it\u2019s still white-ball cricket. The bigger adjustment is the conditions. In the IPL, you get excellent batting surfaces. Here, the wickets are slower, the grounds are bigger, the outfield is slower and even the weather plays a role.<\/p>\n

But if you\u2019re playing for India, there can\u2019t be excuses. You have to adapt quickly. We\u2019ve all played across different conditions since childhood. It\u2019s just about getting used to the environment and executing your skills.<\/p>\n

You are now India\u2019s T20I vice-captain. What was your reaction when the news came through?<\/b><\/p>\n

(Smiles)<\/i> It was a very proud moment for me and my family. Whenever you\u2019re given extra responsibility, you feel good because it means people trust you.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve captained at different age-group levels for my state and for India, so those experiences help. But this is obviously a different level. It feels special. At the same time, I want to do more. This is only the beginning. I want to keep getting better and contribute more to Indian cricket.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve experienced highs and lows early in your career. What\u2019s your coping mechanism when things aren\u2019t going your way?<\/b><\/p>\n

Nothing changes for me. The way I work, the way I spend time with my family, the way I approach life \u2014 all of that stays the same.<\/p>\n

If your mind is in a good place and you\u2019re thinking positively, things eventually fall into place. Cricket is important, but it isn\u2019t everything. It\u2019s a sport and you have to enjoy it.<\/p>\n

Highs and lows will always come. What matters is whether you\u2019re the same person during both phases. The way you behave, the way you talk to people and the way you carry yourself \u2014 those things matter a lot. Cricket is a long journey. To survive for a long time, you need stability.<\/p>\n

ALSO READ: England captain Stokes in action for Durham as Test recall looms<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

With so much competition for places in Indian cricket, how do you keep improving?<\/b><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t really look at the competition. I don\u2019t think about who\u2019s coming in or who\u2019s doing what.<\/p>\n

For me, it only matters how good I am today and how good I can be tomorrow. That\u2019s the comparison I make every day. I focus on improving my game, on and off the field.<\/p>\n

If I compare myself with anyone, it\u2019s with myself. That\u2019s the only thing that matters.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On this tour, you have had a chance to lead and mentor 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. What advice have you given him?<\/b><\/p>\n

It will definitely be challenging for him when he makes that transition to the senior men\u2019s team. He\u2019s come from U-19 cricket, had a fantastic IPL and is now representing a senior side.<\/p>\n

\"India<\/p>\n
India A’s Vaibhav Sooryavanshi plays a shot during the fifth match against Afghanistan A in the Tri-Nation A Series in Dambulla.
\n | Photo Credit:
\n PTI\n <\/p>\n

\"lightbox-info\"\/<\/figcaption><\/div>\n

\n

India A’s Vaibhav Sooryavanshi plays a shot during the fifth match against Afghanistan A in the Tri-Nation A Series in Dambulla.
\n | Photo Credit:
\n PTI\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

But he\u2019s extremely talented. If he gets going, he can finish games on his own. The most important thing for someone like him is backing. Young players need freedom.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve told him to keep playing his natural game, enjoy and not take pressure. At his age, this is the time to learn and express himself. Whatever he has achieved so far has come from playing positively. There\u2019s no reason to change that.<\/p>\n

As captain, I told him I\u2019m always there if he needs anything. Just keep learning, keep enjoying the game and trust your strengths. So, we are backing him and hoping that he comes good in the final. And, if he gets going, we all know what he\u2019s capable of doing. I hope he keeps going in the final.<\/p>\n

Published on Jun 20, 2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The batting talent was never in doubt. What Indian cricket is now discovering is Tilak Varma, the leader. Over the last fortnight in Sri Lanka, the left-hander has had to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":183026,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-183025","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PTI06_17_2026_000314B.jpg","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":177391,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=177391","url_meta":{"origin":183025,"position":0},"title":"India T20I squad for Ireland and England series: Shreyas Iyer named captain, Suryakumar dropped; Sooryavanshi gets maiden call-up","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"June 6, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced the squads for India\u2019s T20I series in Ireland and England, to be held in June and July, respectively. Shreyas Iyer was named the captain of the T20I side, replacing T20 World Cup-winning skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who has been\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2202800892.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2202800892.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2202800892.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2202800892.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2202800892.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":180716,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=180716","url_meta":{"origin":183025,"position":1},"title":"Vaibhav Sooryavanshi pushes Sri Lanka A player after India A loses in Super Over","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"June 15, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Vaibhav Sooryavanshi pushed a Sri Lanka A player after India A lost the Super Over during the Tri Nation A Series in Dambulla on Monday. The incident happened after Sooryavanshi missed out on hitting off the last ball of the game. Sri Lanka A players began celebrating their win. While\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1781529451_PTI06_11_2026_000364B.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1781529451_PTI06_11_2026_000364B.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1781529451_PTI06_11_2026_000364B.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1781529451_PTI06_11_2026_000364B.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1781529451_PTI06_11_2026_000364B.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":177817,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=177817","url_meta":{"origin":183025,"position":2},"title":"Tilak, Siraj headline major signings at inaugural TG20 auction","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"June 7, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Tilak Varma emerged as the highest-valued player of the inaugural TG20 auction on Sunday, joining Medak Falcons for \u20b933 lakh. With a player pool comprising over 1,300 HCA-registered cricketers, franchises of Telangana\u2019s premier T20 league assembled their squads by securing some of the State\u2019s finest cricketing talent across the Icon,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp20Image202026-06-0720at204.24.5020PM.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp20Image202026-06-0720at204.24.5020PM.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp20Image202026-06-0720at204.24.5020PM.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp20Image202026-06-0720at204.24.5020PM.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp20Image202026-06-0720at204.24.5020PM.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":180731,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=180731","url_meta":{"origin":183025,"position":3},"title":"Why was there a delay in Super Over after India A vs Sri Lanka A match was tied?","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"June 15, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"There was a delay in deciding whether India A and Sri Lanka A match will go into a Super Over after the Tri Nation A Series match was tied in Dambulla on Monday. After a nearly 10-minute discussion with the umpires, it was decided that the match will continue to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/HK2Zx9IacAAYYBl.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/HK2Zx9IacAAYYBl.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/HK2Zx9IacAAYYBl.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/HK2Zx9IacAAYYBl.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/HK2Zx9IacAAYYBl.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":178582,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=178582","url_meta":{"origin":183025,"position":4},"title":"IND A vs SL A: India A pulls off a heist, wins by eight runs as Sri Lanka A implodes","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"June 9, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Vaibhav Sooryavanshi\u2019s first outing for India A in one-day cricket ended with a muted 14 but his team hung in there till the end against a self-destructing Sri Lanka A to pull off an eight-run win in the tri-series opener here on Tuesday. Chasing 278, Sri Lanka A had the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/HKW6zg9a0AAoll9.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/HKW6zg9a0AAoll9.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/HKW6zg9a0AAoll9.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/HKW6zg9a0AAoll9.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/HKW6zg9a0AAoll9.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":178371,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=178371","url_meta":{"origin":183025,"position":5},"title":"Tilak backs Sooryavanshi to thrive in Sri Lanka’s testing conditions","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"June 8, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Ever since 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi earned his maiden call-up to India\u2019s senior men\u2019s team for the tours of Ireland and England, one piece of advice has echoed across the cricketing fraternity: let him be a teenager, let him enjoy his cricket. The excitement around the prodigious youngster is understandable. But\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image2019.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image2019.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image2019.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image2019.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image2019.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgnRh4-LC1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183025","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=183025"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183025\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/183026"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=183025"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=183025"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=183025"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}