Royal Challengers Bangalore Director of Cricket, Mike Hesson, has revealed that the franchise wanted to acquire the services of Tilak Varma in the 2022 Indian Premier League auction. In an interview with cricket.com, Hesson mentioned that Tilak Varma was among the targets that Royal Challengers Bangalore missed out on during the 2022 mega auction.
Hesson shared that Tilak Varma was included in Royal Challengers Bangalore’s shortlist of players they intended to pursue during the 2022 auction. However, the franchise ultimately acquired Indore-born right-handed batter Rajat Patidar instead.
Since Royal Challengers Bangalore missed out on Tilak Varma, the batter was eventually signed by the Mumbai Indians for Rs 1.70 crore. This acquisition came after competitive bidding battles involving Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings, and Rajasthan Royals.
Hesson said that missing the services of Tilak Varma was one of the biggest regrets for the franchise. Hesson said, “I think he is one that I wish that we pushed a little bit harder for. All good in hindsight but he’s proven that he is a high-quality player. Being a left-hander would always be helpful for that RCB top-order.”
In addition to showcasing his batting skills in domestic cricket, Tilak Varma made a significant impact in his debut season for Mumbai Indians and gathered a total of 397 runs across all 14 league games.
“It would have been nice to have another left-hander in the top order. There was a lot of talk that he was susceptible to the short ball domestically. But certainly since he’s come to the IPL, he’s made every post a winner,” Hesson added.
