'My Condition Was Very Bad'

'The doctors told me had I delayed by even a few hours, the consequences could have been catastrophic.'

Batting star Tilak Varma revealed how he survived a major health scare in 2022 after being diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a serious condition caused by muscle breakdown.

Tilak made headlines with a match-winning half-century in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan in Dubai in September.

Speaking to Gaurav Kapur on his podcast Breakfast of Champions, the 22-year-old Mumbai Indians left-hander described how overexerting his body in pursuit of a spot in the Indian Test team led to him getting hospitalised.

'I haven't opened up about this to anyone. After my first IPL, I had some health problems. I wanted to be fit. These things have not come out. I was diagnosed with something called Rhabdomyolysis in which muscle breakdowns happen,' Tilak revealed.

'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.

'I wanted to be the fittest player in the world and an excellent fielder, so I wasn't quite focusing 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.'

Tilak's condition was so serious that his fingers stopped moving, his gloves had to be cut off after playing in a match.

'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. 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 -- Immediately.'

Tilak thanked Mumbai Indians Owner Akash Ambani for his timely intervention as a few hours' delay could have resulted in serious damage.

'I got a call from Akash Ambani. He spoke to the BCCI, which helped me a lot. Thanks to Jay Shah sir. I was immediately admitted to the hospital.

'The doctors told me had I delayed by even a few hours, the consequences could have been catastrophic. 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.'