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Almighty answers coach's prayers as Tilak makes one-day debut
The Morning Standard
|September 16, 2023
AT 1:45pm on Friday, coach Salam Bayash was about to leave Legala Sports Academy in Lingampally, Hyderabad for a nearby mosque to offer prayers when his phone started ringing. The call made the coach grin from ear to ear as the caller was his protege Tilak Varma.

"He called me last evening as well and today (Friday). That has been the custom ever since he started playing age-group cricket (under-14). On both occasions, he told me that there is a high chance of him making his ODI debut. I knew the time has come for the ODI debut and advised him to make most of the opportunity he is getting and focus on his game without thinking much of the position he is batting at," coach Salam told this daily from the academy, where his students had decided to watch India's Asia Cup Super Four match against Bangladesh. With the match being inconsequential, India made five changes. The lefthand batter had made his T201 debut against West Indies last month. He played all the five matches against the West Indies and was also in the playing XI when the Men in Blue played two T20Is against Ireland.
This story is from the September 16, 2023 edition of The Morning Standard.
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