Former India cricketer Ambati Rayudu has lavished rich praise on young Tilak Varma for his batting performance in the ongoing five-T20I series between India and England. This comes after Tilak Varma carried India past the winning line thanks to an excellent knock in the second T20I in Chennai.

Tilak Varma made 72* to shoulder India’s chase of 165 runs against England. The next best score was Washington Sundar’s 26 runs as India won by 2 wickets to go 2-0 up in the series.

While the Indian cricketing community loves Tilak, the batter has been backed to become an all-format player by Ambati Rayudu. Tilak's maturity during the Chepauk chase prompted Rayudu to make such a strong statement for him.

Rayudu stated that India has a tremendous superstar on their hands, and the maturity he displayed during the knock in Chennai demonstrates that the 23-year-old has the potential to be a match-winner for many years across all three formats.

“I feel India has got a huge superstar, and he can become an all-format player. It’s not that he is only a T20 player. Considering the maturity he showed today (India vs. England 2nd T20I), he has the ability to be a match-winner for India for many years. So I feel he should be backed in every format,” said Rayudu on Star Sports.

Tilak has scored 318 runs since his previous dismissal in T20Is, including two hundreds. Rayudu believes Tilak is repaying the faith placed in him by captain Suryakumar Yadav.

“He is a superstar cricketer, and I have seen him grow in Hyderabad. He has played four extraordinary knocks. Since Suryakumar Yadav has become the captain, the confidence he has been given and the trust that has been shown in him, he is repaying it fully,” said Rayudu.

Tilak will be next in action during the 3rd T20I against England, which will take place in Rajkot on Tuesday, January 28.