Tilak Varma
Credit: PTI Photo
Indian cricketer Tilak Varma recently opened up about his health issues and how he still managed to still play cricket.
In a recent episode of Breakfast of Champions with Gaurav Kapur, Tilak spoke about his serious health scare in 2022. He disclosed that he was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, which is the breakdown of muscle tissue.
"I haven't opened up about this to anyone - After my first IPL, I had some health problems. I was diagnosed with something called Rhabdomyolysis in which muscle breakdowns happen. I had in me that I wanted to be in the Test team, was playing domestic cricket, A series, camp was going on - Even on rest days, I was in the gym," Tilak said.
Further he expressed how he wanted to be the fittest player in the world and an excellent fielder, due to which he did not focus on recovery.
"I was taking ice baths but I was not giving my body the proper time to recover. I was pushing myself even on rest days. So, the muscle was overstrained and it broke down. The nerves became quite hard - Mumbai Indians was there with me and I was playing the A series in Bangladesh," he said.
"I pushed myself for a hundred, my eyes started tearing up. My fingers weren't at all moving. Everything became so hard, it felt like a stone. I had to retire hurt, gloves had to be cut off because fingers weren't moving," he added.
Tilak however thanked Jay Shah for speaking to the BBCI and then he got admitted to the hospital. "Immediately, I got a call from Akash Ambani. He spoke to the BCCI, which was very helpful. Thanks to Jay Shah, sir. I was immediately admitted to the hospital. The doctors told me that if I had delayed even by a few hours, the consequences could have been catastrophic," the batter recalled.
"Even the IV line needle wasn't going in. The needle was breaking. My condition was very bad in the hospital. My mother was with me," Tilak said.
The left-handed batsman made his international debut for India in 2023, in a T20I match against West Indies. Tilak also plays for Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians in domestic cricket.