Mumbai Indians' ace batsman Tilak Varma spared some time away from the tight IPL schedule last week to engage in a sporting game of pickleball with film actor Vijay Deverakonda. The two faced each other before their encounter against Gujarat Titans (GT) at Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday, May 06.

The game of pickleball involved Vijay agreeing to wear the Mumbai Indians jersey in case Tilak's side won. Vijay and his companion defeated Tilak and his fellow player with difficulty in a hard-fought 2-1 victory. As much as this was an exhibition match, there was tension playing on both teams, as per Tilak's joke to do something for Vijay should he lose.

"We have placed a bet. If we lose, we must do something for Vijay Anna," Tilak explained. To which the superstar actor replied, "If we win, I will wear the Mumbai Indians jersey." This was not Tilak's first attempt at pickleball, as he was recently seen playing the sport with MI teammate Rohit Sharma and his daughter Samaira.

Watch the video here:

PICKLEBALL CHALLENGE...!!! 🔥

- Vijay Devarakonda playing pickleball with Tilak Varma, The collaboration by Mumbai Indians has been top notch in IPL 2025. pic.twitter.com/FoUS0k3v0Z

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 5, 2025

Jayawardene unperturbed by points table swings, Eyeing MI's last matches

If MI defeat GT, they can overtake Royal Challengers Bengaluru and reclaim the number one position on a superior net run rate. While this continuous swapping of the spots might be exasperating and annoying at times, Mumbai Indians' head coach Mahela Jayawardene expressed that he does not mind these frequent alterations in the points table.Jayawardene added that this is something that he and his team cannot control since the points table will be in a state of constant churning due to the close battle for the playoff positions.

"I mean, clearly, the number of games that you're playing and how that composition works, there is always going to be change, particularly with Punjab Kings having that odd number due to the rain-off game."."But aside from that, all those factors that we as a franchise and I as a coach cannot prevent, I would just concentrate tomorrow on the game, and the next game then, we've got three solid games against us, which would be good to us".So we just want to do what we've been doing, play some good cricket. The boys are concentrated on that, and the rest I can't control. So, my concentration would be what they might control at this point and just keep concentrating on," said Jayawardene in the pre-match press conference.