Tilak Varma stunned his critics with a magnificent century against the Gujarat Titans, helping the Mumbai Indians secure a dominant comeback in the ongoing IPL 2026. However, it was Aakash Chopra’s commentaries after the match that sparked discussions about Varma potentially replacing Hardik Pandya as the team’s captain. Varma shone with the bat, but Chopra’s remarks raised questions about Pandya’s leadership. The debate began after Mumbai Indians had a poor start, with Kagiso Rabada dismissing Danish Malewar for a duck and Quinton de Kock for 13. Suryakumar Yadav also fell to Rabada for 13, leaving the team in danger at 44 for 3 inside the powerplay. Varma took over and dominated the GT attack, playing smart cricket and mixing timing with power. He finished unbeaten on 101 off 45 balls, hitting 8 fours and 7 sixes to help the Mumbai Indians achieve 199 for 5 against the Gujarat Titans. The GT batsmen, including Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler, failed to show any resistance against the MI attack, led by Ashwani Kumar’s four-wicket haul. In the aftermath, Varma was praised for handling the pressure, staying calm when the team was struggling, and taking charge at the right moment. This ability to perform under pressure has impressed many, and it’s not the first time Varma has shown his composure in big matches, as he has done for India previously. As a result, whispers have begun about Varma potentially taking over as the team’s captain, with Aakash Chopra being one of the prominent voices expressing this opinion.