Tilak Varma has given a tight slap to his critics with a stunning century against the Gujarat Titans to help the Mumbai Indians make a dominant comeback in the ongoing IPL 2026. However, Tilak Varma shone with the bat, but Aakash Chopra sparked the captaincy talks after his Ahmedabad heroics.
After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, the Mumbai Indians had another poor start. Gujaat Titans’ paceman Kagiso Rabada was on fire as he removed the debutant Danish Malewar cheaply for two before showing the door to his South African teammate Quinton de Kock for 13.
Tilak Varma’s blazing ton silences critics as MI crush GT in IPL 2026 clash
Suryakumar Yadav was cleaned up by Rabada for just 13 runs, and MI looked in serious danger with 44 for 3 inside the powerplay. At that time, Tilak Varma came and dominated the GT attack. In the beginning, the middle-order batter took his time and then shifted his gear.
He played smart cricket, mixed timing with power, and didn’t let the bowlers settle. Tilak finished unbeaten on 101 off just 45 balls, hitting 8 fours and 7 sixes to help the Mumbai Indians reach 199 for 5 against the Gujarat Titans in their IPL 2026 clash on April 20.
Chasing the target, Gujarat Titans faltered as captain Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler failed to show any fight against the MI attack. Ashwani Kumar led the attack with four wickets, and GT was bowled out for just 100 runs with Washington Sundar being the top scorer with 26.
Aakash Chopra predicts IPL captaincy for Varma after Ahmedabad heroics
After the match, Tilak Varma was applauded for the way he handled the situation. He looked calm when the team was struggling and then took charge at the right time. His ability to perform under pressure is something that left everyone impressed with him.
This is not the first time the MI star has done it. He has already shown in big matches for India that he can stay composed and deliver when it matters. Because of this, talks have already started that Tilak could become a captain in the future.
His confidence, understanding of the game, and the way he carries himself on the field are making a strong case for him. After the match, former Indian batter Aakash Chopra has predicted that Tilak Varma will become an IPL captain soon.
Read Also: Gujarat Titans coach blames bowlers despite batting disaster vs MI
Chopra posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Tikal Varma will be leading an IPL franchise one day…And that day might not be too far away…”
Tikal Varma will be leading an IPL franchise one day…
And that day might not be too far away…— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) April 20, 2026
Aakash Chopra sees future captain in Tilak Varma
Even on his YouTube channel, the cricket pundit reiterated that Tilak has everything to lead an IPL side. He said, “Tilak Varma defeated the Gujarat Titans by one run. He scored 101, and the entire Gujarat team collapsed for 100. I feel the day is not far when he will captain an IPL franchise.”
Chopra added, “You might wonder how someone can become the captain by playing one inning, but two years from now, and it might happen earlier than that, Tilak Varma will be leading an IPL franchise. That is my understanding. I can explain it more at that time.”
Notably, Tilak already has the captaincy experience, having led India A against South Africa A in a one-day series in November 2025, in the ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024, South Zone in the 2025–26 Duleep Trophy, and the Hyderabad Ranji Team.
