Tilak Varma, the 22-year-old batter, who steered India to glory in the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan, has opened up about a health scare that nearly derailed his promising career. In a deeply personal revelation on the latest episode of Breakfast with Champions with Gaurav Kapur, Varma disclosed that he was diagnosed with a health condition following his debut IPL season in 2022. That inaugural IPL season was a dream for the teenager as Varma scored 240 runs at a strike rate of 145.73, including a half-century, helping MI reach the playoffs.
In the interview hosted by Gaurav Kapur, Tilak Varma discussed that he was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a rare and potentially life-threatening condition involving rapid muscle breakdown. “After
my first IPL, I had some health problems. I wanted to be fit. These things haven't come out before,” Varma confessed on the show. He further said, “I was diagnosed with something called Rhabdomyolysis, in which muscle breakdown happens. I had it in me that I wanted to be in the Test team. I was playing domestic cricket, the A series, and a camp was going on.”
Rhabdomyolysis, as medical experts explain, occurs when damaged skeletal muscle breaks down rapidly, releasing myoglobin and other proteins into the bloodstream. This can lead to severe complications like acute kidney injury, electrolyte imbalances, and even cardiac arrest if untreated.
Thanks to Jay Shah sir, I was immediately admitted to the hospital: Tilak Varma
Tilak Varma, while admitting to his medical condition, also highlighted the swift intervention from his IPL franchise, Mumbai Indians, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that saved his career and possibly his life. “Immediately, I got a call from Akash Ambani (Mumbai Indians owner). 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. Even the IV line needle wasn't going in; it kept breaking. My condition was very serious in the hospital. My mother was with me,” he remarked.
Recalling his struggle, he stated, “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 really focusing on recovery. I was taking ice baths, but I wasn't giving my body 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.”
The breaking point came during India's A series in Bangladesh in August 2022, “I pushed myself for a hundred, and my eyes started tearing up. My fingers weren't moving at all. Everything became so stiff, it felt like stone. I had to retire hurt, and my gloves had to be cut off because my fingers weren't moving,” he recalled vividly. It was his drive for excellence that fueled the crisis, but instead, it forged resilience.
