Tilak Varma Is the Real Boss of Finishing! Ahead of Even Dhoni, De Villiers and Hardik!

Tilak Varma is the real boss of finishing—even ahead of MS Dhoni, AB de Villiers and Hardik Pandya. Think I am joking? Wondering how that is possible when those names have defined finishing for years? The numbers behind Tilak’s finishing will surprise you.

Against New Zealand in the second T20I, India needed 46 runs from the final three overs. The pitch was slow and two-paced, and several Indian batters had struggled to score at even a run a ball. Tilak attacked Jacob Duffy first and Nathan Smith next, helping reduce the requirement to nine from the final over and taking India towards a memorable victory.

One successful finish might be called a one-off. Repeatedly delivering in that phase demands a closer look at the record. That is where Tilak’s numbers become extraordinary.

In overs 16–20 in T20Is, Tilak has a strike rate above 235. Hardik, despite his reputation as one of India’s leading finishers, strikes below 200 in the same phase. Dhoni’s T20I strike rate in those closing overs also falls below Tilak’s.

Then comes de Villiers. One of cricket’s most destructive hitters had a strike rate of around 230 in the final five overs of the IPL. Tilak’s T20I figure is higher even than that.

The competitions differ in this comparison: de Villiers’ number comes from the IPL, while Tilak’s comes from T20 internationals. What stands out is the scoring speed Tilak has achieved at international level, where he is making the closing overs his strongest phase.

And if you think such aggressive batting must come with a poor average, there is another surprise. Tilak averages above 45 in overs 16–20 in T20Is while maintaining that strike rate above 235.

That combination gives his finishing real value. He scores quickly while protecting his wicket, reducing the risk of leaving the remaining batters with an equation they cannot manage. When the required rate climbs, he has the ability to take responsibility and attack.

His game against spin in the middle overs remains a concern. He can struggle to rotate the strike and find boundaries, allowing pressure to build. But against fast bowlers at the death, he becomes a far more dangerous batter.

New Zealand experienced that difference. With 46 needed from 18 balls, Tilak could not afford to wait for the final over. He went after successive pacers and brought the chase back within India’s reach on a surface where other batters had found acceleration difficult.

That ability to change gears against pace is becoming a major weapon for India. Tilak’s middle-over struggles deserve criticism when they hurt the innings, but his finishing deserves equal recognition when it wins the match.