'The way MI have selected squads...': Mark Boucher sees opportunity for youngsters

Mark Boucher (Pic: Mumbai Indians File Image)

Forget risks, Mumbai Indians turned heads after fielding four uncapped players in their starting XI when they took on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their season opener in IPL 2023. It was further surprising to note that two of these players were playing their debut match in the tournament. Explaining how IPL is meant to give India's emerging talent an opportunity to fast track their talent to the highest level, head coach Mark Boucher, ahead of the season, had said, "The IPL is a massive event and it's going to be a great opportunity for some of our young boys to really show up."

"The way Mumbai Indians have selected their squads over the last few years has been, how you invest in youngsters for the future. It's now time for those youngsters to show up and basically get the opportunities."

The side rode on Tilak Varma's stroke-filled unbeaten half-century to post a fighting total of 171 for seven against RCB on Sunday. Varma scored unbeaten 84 off 46 balls and decorated his knock with nine boundaries and four sixes to help Mumbai post a competitive total after being sent into bat. He was the lone bright spot in MI's batting department, as wickets kept falling like a pack of cards since the third over of the innings.

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The 20-year-old batted with aplomb, smashed a scintillating fifty, and steadied the ship when all was over. Sent in to bat, five-time champions Mumbai had a poor start but Varma, coming off a successful last season, delivered the goods as he held the innings together with an unbeaten 46-ball 84-run knock. He decorated his innings with nine boundaries and four sixes.

The IPL has, over the years, provided the right platform for lesser-known commodities to display their wares, rub shoulders with the greats of the game that at the end of it, everyone is regarded as equal on the field of play. You may have played in excess of 200 IPL matches or are playing your first, it is a level-playing field out there with even contest between bat and ball. This holds true for every other emerging player, Tilak would know better.

During the post-match press conference, bowling coach Shane Bond credited the youngsters for helping Mumbai reaching 170. "Tilak played brilliantly, and so did the other youngsters," he said. Even captain Rohit Sharma picked Varma out for special praise, saying, "He is a very positive person, quite talented as well. Some of the shorts he played today, he showed a lot of courage. We wanted to be courageous enough, and hats off to Tilak for getting us to the total."

"I always back my shots, and I was doing the same thing here. I was asking my partners what could be a good total here and going accordingly," Varma was quoted as saying.